**BARE-EYED RAIL Gymnocrex plumbeiventris

Status Unknown. Widespread in New Guinea, also North Moluccas and New Ireland (Bismarcks) but rather poorly known (Beehler & Pratt 2016; KDB). 27 May 2008: M. van Beirs (in litt. 2021) observed an adult foraging at a small pool in forest, southern Biak, carefully noting the reddish-pink bare parts. 9 July 2009: one seen in south-east Biak (Brickle & Tizard 2009). 25 September 2018: noted in the Warafri area (P. Chaon, eBird checklist S48733021). The nearest known mainland New Guinea population appears to be in the lowlands bordering Teluk Cenderawasih (Pratt & Beehler 2015). Coates (1985) observed it to be a regular wet-season breeding migrant at Brown River, south-east Papua New Guinea. Coates’ observations together with a handful of other records (Taylor & van Perlo 1998) suggest the species might be nomadic. The exceptional records on Biak may refer to wanderers or a previously undocumented resident population of an unknown taxon. That the widespread Buff-banded Rail Hypotaenidia philippensis does not occur on the Teluk Cenderawasih Islands is striking in view of its ability to colonise many, often quite isolated, islands across the south-west Pacific, but its absence is in keeping with the lack of records from any of New Guinea’s fringing islands (Beehler & Pratt 2016) but begs the question why?