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Cocos buff-banded rail

Buff banded rail| credit parks australia.
Buff banded rail, credit Parks Australia.

The Cocos buff-banded rail is the only bird in the Cocos (Keeling) Islands that is not found anywhere else in the world.

A genetically distinct subspecies, they were once abundant on the southern atoll of the islands, but are now restricted to North Keeling Island.

Buff-banded rails are the size of a small chicken and can often be seen foraging for crustaceans along the shore of the lagoon.

There are around 700 buff-banded rails in Pulu Keeling National Park, and the population is listed as endangered.

Scientific name

Hypotaenidia philippensis andrewsi