Gough moorhen  (Gallinula comeri)

Originally endemic to Gough Island in the Tristan da Cunha group in the South Atlantic Ocean. However, seven birds were also introduced to neighbouring Tristan Island in 1956, where this species' close relative, the Tristan moorhen (G. nesiotis), had become extinct at the end of the 19th century. In 1983, the Gough population was estimated at 2,000-3,000 pairs and, in 1984, the Tristan population was estimated at around 250 pairs and increasing (2). It has been disputed whether the birds living at present on Tristan are descendants of introduced Gough moorhens (G. comeri) or in fact part of a recovering remnant population of the original Tristan moorhen (G. nesiotis), classified as extinct (4). Current opinion is generally that the former is the case (5).

On Gough, the moorhen is found near the coast in boggy areas and close to streams, commonly in fern-bush but sometimes in tussock grass. On Tristan, where no tussock remains, the bird is found in fern-bush (2).