Head to head
Guam Rail vs Lord Howe Woodhen
The Guam rail and Lord Howe woodhen are both flightless island rails that came extremely close to disappearing entirely before dedicated conservation programs turned their fortunes around.
| Guam Rail | Lord Howe Woodhen | |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific name | Hypotaenidia owstoni | Hypotaenidia sylvestris |
| Native range | Guam | Lord Howe Island only |
| Lowest point | Extinct in the wild | As few as ~30 individuals |
| Main threat | Invasive brown tree snakes | Introduced feral pigs |
| Recovery method | Captive breeding, predator-free reintroduction | Pig eradication, captive breeding |
| Conservation status | Critically Endangered | Vulnerable |
| Population trend | Increasing | Stable |
| Habitat | Forest | Forest |
Guam Rail vs Lord Howe Woodhen: common questions
Which species came closer to extinction, the Guam rail or the Lord Howe woodhen?
The Guam rail came closer to the edge, actually being declared extinct in the wild in the 1980s, while the Lord Howe woodhen was reduced to roughly thirty individuals but never quite reached that same point of complete wild extinction.
What threatened the Guam rail and Lord Howe woodhen?
The Guam rail was devastated by invasive brown tree snakes, while the Lord Howe woodhen was driven toward extinction primarily by introduced feral pigs preying on the birds and their nests on Lord Howe Island.
Are both species still classified as at risk today?
Yes, the Guam rail remains Critically Endangered despite an increasing trend, while the Lord Howe woodhen is classified as Vulnerable with a now-stable population, both still dependent on ongoing conservation management of their island habitats.