Her notes and photographs, and recordings of the birds’ loud, harsh, rasping calls, later helped determine that the species was not only new to her, but also new to science. Locals, however, know the bird by the name ‘piding’. Some residents said the birds were sometimes even caught for food.

“We expected many new distribution records for the Babuyan Islands, but a new bird species was completely unexpected,” said Española.

Oliveros said, “We plan to undertake further research to determine the habitat requirements, abundance and distribution of the rail, while working closely with local residents to minimize threats, and to encourage long-term initiatives to protect the forest.”

“Although apparently not under immediate threat, the limited distribution of the new species makes it vulnerable to habitat loss and predators introduced to the island such as cats and rats,” Oliveros added.

Carlo Custodio, chief ecosystems management specialist of the Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau, said “the Department of Environment and Natural Resources has taken the initial steps in the process of declaring the islands of the Babuyan group a protected area. The discovery of this rail inspires us to continue the work that has been started.”
Juan Carlos Gonzalez, a professor in zoology and wildlife biology at the University of the Philippines in Los Baños, and member of the survey team, said the new species may be classified as 'vulnerable' under the World Conservation Union Red List criteria for species of conservation concern.

This means the Calayan Rail faces a “high risk of extinction in the wild.”

Rails are ground-feeding and ground-nesting birds with long legs and straight pointed bills. Rails and other similar species have among the highest record of recently extinct or endangered birds.

Eighteen of the 20 living species of flightless rail are considered threatened, and the majority of rail species that have become extinct since 1600 were flightless said a 1998 handbook on rails.

During their stay on the island, the nine-member expedition team saw adult and juvenile birds on several occasions. Within a two-kilometer range of their rainforest camp, they recorded an estimated 100-200 pairs.

The Calayan Rail also appears to be nearly or completely flightless. Expedition members said the birds were seen skulking in undergrowth or out on open trails, sometimes alone, sometimes in family groups.

Although its orange-red bill and legs look similar to the Okinawa rail from the Ryukyu Islands in Japan, the former does not have a white stripe below the eye and black and white barring in its underparts, said Gonzalez, who is one of the authors of the scientific paper describing the new species.

Apart from Española and Gonzalez, other expedition members included Oriental bird specialist Desmond Allen (British), Harvey John Garcia, Marisol Pedregosa, Mark Anthony Reyes and Amado Bajarias Jr. Most of the team are members of the Wild Bird Club of the Philippines.

The nine-week survey was funded through the Rufford Small Grant Committee and the Oriental Bird Club. Additional equipment was provided by IdeaWild USA.

The team surveyed the terrestrial fauna in Camiguin, Babuyan Claro, Calayan and Dalupiri islands, which form part of the Babuyan Island group.

Calayan island is still largely covered by rainforest and has 8,500 residents. The island was last visited by ornithologists exactly one hundred years ago.

"In the midst of the disappearing rainforests of the Philippines and the drastic loss of biodiversity, the discovery of the Calayan Rail in one of the most fragile habitats in the archipelago is a sign of hope that it’s not too late to conserve these remote rainforests. But we need to conserve and learn about it before it’s too late," added Gonzalez.For further information or interviews please contact:

Philippines :
Carl Oliveros (co-leader of expedition):

tel: +63 (2)8729085 (home);
       +63 (917)5408362 (mobile);
email: carl_oliveros@yahoo.com

Carmela Española (expedition team member):

tel: +63 (2)4273389 (home);
      +63 (918)7267350 (mobile);
email: lala924@yahoo.com

United Kingdom :
Genevieve Broad (co-leader of expedition):

tel: +44 (0)1502 724046 (home);
       +44 (0)788 794 3018 (mobile);
email: genbroad@hotmail.com

Desmond Allen (consultant on oriental birds, & expedition member):

tel: +44(0)207 2636985;
email: dnsallen@ukonline.co.uk

Photos: (click on the thumbnails to view the whole image)