White-throated Rail vs Marquesan Swamphen
Dryolimnas cuvieri compared with Porphyrio paepae
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | White-throated Rail | Marquesan Swamphen |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Dryolimnas cuvieri | Porphyrio paepae |
| Order | Gruiformes | Gruiformes |
| Family | Rallidae | Rallidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Extinct |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 27.5 cm (10.8 in) | — |
| Weight | 199.4 g (7.03 oz) | — |
| Diet | -- | -- |
| Clutch Size | 3-4 | -- |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Conservation Status
Least Concern
White-throated Rail
Extinct
Marquesan Swamphen
About These Birds
White-throated Rail
White-throated Rail (Dryolimnas cuvieri), 28 cm. Brown above; white throat and breast; barred flanks. The nominate race inhabits scrub and wetland of Madagascar and surrounding islands; flightless on Aldabra Atoll. Omnivore. Least Concern for main population; Aldabra population is distinct.
Marquesan Swamphen
Marquesan Swamphen (Porphyrio paepae) is an extinct flightless swamphen known only from subfossil bones from the Marquesas Islands, French Polynesia. Lost following Polynesian settlement and later European contact. Part of the broader pattern of Pacific island rail extinctions linked to human arrival and introduced rats.