Great Maui Crake
Encyclopedia
The Great Maui Rail or Great Maui Crake (Porzana severnsi) is an extinct bird species from Maui
, one of two flightless rails
which survived on Maui until people arrived in 150 C.E.
It was the larger of two species of rail found on the island of Maui
, Hawaii. Several specimens of this bird were found in early settlements. It was 1 in 3 in (38.1 cm) tall. Its beak was 0.75 inches (2 cm) inch long; its neck was 8.5 inches (22 cm) inches long. It was probably brown and grey and black like its recently extinct relatives the Hawaiian Rail
and Laysan Rail
. It was flightless due to its small wings that were on average less than 4 inches long.
It probably fed on the fruits, leaves, and flowers of trees that fell onto the ground, especially those of ‘ōhi‘a lehua (Metrosideros polymorpha
), Mamane
(Sophora chrysophylla), and Lobelia spp.
It cause of extinction is not well established, but it was likely hunted for meat, and its bones and feathers were used in old style art. It may have also have been attacked by Polynesian Rat
s that were introduced by the natives by accident.
Maui
The island of Maui is the second-largest of the Hawaiian Islands at and is the 17th largest island in the United States. Maui is part of the state of Hawaii and is the largest of Maui County's four islands, bigger than Lānai, Kahoolawe, and Molokai. In 2010, Maui had a population of 144,444,...
, one of two flightless rails
Rallidae
The rails, or Rallidae, are a large cosmopolitan family of small to medium-sized birds. The family exhibits considerable diversity and the family also includes the crakes, coots, and gallinules...
which survived on Maui until people arrived in 150 C.E.
It was the larger of two species of rail found on the island of Maui
Maui
The island of Maui is the second-largest of the Hawaiian Islands at and is the 17th largest island in the United States. Maui is part of the state of Hawaii and is the largest of Maui County's four islands, bigger than Lānai, Kahoolawe, and Molokai. In 2010, Maui had a population of 144,444,...
, Hawaii. Several specimens of this bird were found in early settlements. It was 1 in 3 in (38.1 cm) tall. Its beak was 0.75 inches (2 cm) inch long; its neck was 8.5 inches (22 cm) inches long. It was probably brown and grey and black like its recently extinct relatives the Hawaiian Rail
Hawaiian Rail
The Hawaiian Rail , Hawaiian Spotted Rail, or Hawaiian Crake was a somewhat enigmatic species of diminutive rail that lived on Big Island of Hawaii, but is now extinct. It was a flightless bird that was apparently found in shrubland and secondary growth on abandoned fields and in times of danger...
and Laysan Rail
Laysan Rail
The Laysan Rail or Laysan Crake was a tiny inhabitant of the Northwest Hawaiian Island of Laysan. This small island was and still is an important seabird colony, and sustained a number of endemic species, including the rail. It became extinct due to habitat loss by domestic rabbits, and ultimately...
. It was flightless due to its small wings that were on average less than 4 inches long.
It probably fed on the fruits, leaves, and flowers of trees that fell onto the ground, especially those of ‘ōhi‘a lehua (Metrosideros polymorpha
Metrosideros polymorpha
The ōhia lehua is a species of flowering evergreen tree in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae, that is endemic to the six largest islands of Hawaii. It is a highly variable tree, being tall in favorable situations, and much smaller when growing in boggy soils or on basalt...
), Mamane
Mamane
Sophora chrysophylla, known as Māmane in Hawaiian, is a species of flowering plant in the pea and bean family, Fabaceae, that is endemic to Hawaii. It is highly polymorphic, growing as a shrub or tree, and able to reach a height of in tree form. Yellow flowers are produced in winter and...
(Sophora chrysophylla), and Lobelia spp.
It cause of extinction is not well established, but it was likely hunted for meat, and its bones and feathers were used in old style art. It may have also have been attacked by Polynesian Rat
Polynesian Rat
The Polynesian Rat, or Pacific Rat , known to the Māori as kiore, is the third most widespread species of rat in the world behind the Brown Rat and Black Rat. The Polynesian Rat originates in Southeast Asia but, like its cousins, has become well travelled – infiltrating Fiji and most Polynesian...
s that were introduced by the natives by accident.