Snipe-rail facts for kids

The snipe-rail (Capellirallus karamu) was a special bird that used to live only in the North Island of New Zealand. It was a type of bird called a rail, but it couldn't fly. Sadly, this bird is now extinct, meaning it no longer exists. Its name comes from the Karamu Cave, which is about 21 kilometers (13 miles) from Hamilton. This is where the first remains of the bird were found in 1954.

What Did the Snipe-Rail Look Like?

The snipe-rail was a fairly small bird. It weighed about 240 grams (about half a pound). That's like the weight of a small can of soda!

One of its most interesting features was its long beak. It was about 7 centimeters (2.8 inches) long. This was very long compared to the rest of its body.

When the snipe-rail was first discovered, scientists found only a few bones. These included parts of its skeleton, like bones from its back (vertebrae), its hip area (pelvis), and a back leg (hind limb). Since then, many more complete skeletons have been found. These discoveries happened at different places across the North Island.

Scientists are still learning about how the snipe-rail is related to other birds. Its bones suggest it might have been a relative of the Chatham rail, which is also extinct. The snipe-rail had the tiniest wings of any rail bird known. Its leg bones, especially the one called the tarsometatarsus, were also very large for its body size.

Where Did the Snipe-Rail Live?

Scientists found snipe-rail bones mostly in the western parts of the North Island. This area used to have wet, dense rainforests. These forests had a thick canopy of trees.

The bird's long beak gives us a clue about how it found food. It probably used its long bill to poke around in the ground. This is similar to how kiwi birds find their food today. They would probe the soil to find insects or other small creatures.

Why Did the Snipe-Rail Disappear?

We don't know the exact year the snipe-rail became extinct. However, scientists believe its numbers started to drop around the 13th century. This was when the Polynesian rat, also known as the Kiori, became common in New Zealand.

The Polynesian rat was brought to New Zealand by early human settlers. These rats would have eaten the snipe-rail's eggs and chicks. They might have also competed for food. This would have made it very hard for the snipe-rail to survive.