Back from the brink: Lord Howe woodhen population surges

Lord Howe Island’s native woodhen has made a remarkable recovery, with the latest survey revealing a population of at least 1,638 birds on the island.

This is a significant turnaround for the Lord Howe woodhen, which was reduced to just 9 breeding pairs in the 1970s. The bird is listed as an endangered species by New South Wales and the Commonwealth.

Endemic to the island, the bird is an important part of the World Heritage Listed ecosystem, woodhens mainly forage on the forest floor for earthworms, molluscs and other invertebrates. They are considered an indicator species for the health of the ecosystem and an iconic species for the island and its wildlife.

In December 2024, a total of 1,535 adult and juvenile woodhens and 26 chicks were recorded. The total includes 769 new birds that were caught and banded for the first time, confirming high rates of breeding success since the previous count in 2022 which found at least 1,147 woodhens on the island.

The area of Mt Gower was not included in the 2024 survey due to the risk of spreading a pathogen. However, in 2022, 77 birds were found in that area, so that number has been added to the 2024 survey of the rest of the island to reach the total of at least 1,638.

It is however likely the Mt Gower population has also increased in the last two years.
The incredible jump in numbers follows the final stage of Lord Howe Island Rodent Eradication Project in 2019, demonstrating the benefits of pest control for threatened species.

The project was the largest of its kind undertaken on an inhabited island anywhere in the world and was declared a success in 2023, following 2 years of monitoring and intensive checks confirmed the absence of rodents.

A biosecurity program remains in place to ensure the biodiversity benefits to woodhens and other species of plants and animals on the world heritage listed Island are maintained and enhanced for future generations.

For more information on the Lord Howe woodhen visit the Environment and Heritage website.

Quote attributable to Lord Howe Island Board CEO, Suzie Christensen:

'The Lord Howe Island woodhen is an incredible animal, and a mere 50 years ago there were believed to be less than 30 left in the whole world.

'In 2019, we released 208 woodhens from captive management and today their population has grown by almost 8 times that number.

'I want to congratulate and thank all those who have been involved in saving the woodhen since efforts began in 1978 – it has been a collective effort and led to a successful recovery of this special species.'