Alopochen kervazoi
The Reunion Sheldgoose (Alopochen kervazoi), an enigmatic member of the Anatidae family, was an endemic island waterfowl of considerable size, roughly 65-75 cm in length with an estimated weight of 2.5-3.5 kg. Its plumage was primarily a dusky, dark grey-brown with a paler, almost buff-white belly and striking iridescent green speculum on its wings, often visible even when folded. Distinctive field marks included a prominent pale orbital ring and a robust, dark bill, slightly hooked at the ti...
This sheldgoose historically inhabited the low-lying coastal wetlands, estuaries, and freshwater marshes of Reunion Island, particularly favoring areas with a mix of open water for feeding and dense vegetation for cover and nesting, up to approximately 500 meters elevation.
Primarily herbivorous, its diet consisted mainly of grasses, aquatic vegetation, seeds, tubers, and occasional small invertebrates found in its wetland habitats, obtained through grazing and dabbling.
The Reunion Sheldgoose was likely a diurnal species, spending its days foraging and congregating in family groups or small flocks, returning to communal roosts near water bodies at dusk. Its foraging strategy primarily involved grazing on emergent vegetation and dabbling in shallow waters for aqu...
Historically, the Reunion Sheldgoose was exclusively endemic to Reunion Island, a volcanic island in the Mascarene Archipelago in the western Indian Ocean. Its entire known range was confined to the low-lying coastal plains, estuaries, and freshwater wetlands across the island, generally below 50...
Extinct
- The Reunion Sheldgoose is believed to have been one of the largest sheldgoose species, an example of island gigantism. - Its extinction is directly linked to early European settlement on Reunion Island, driven by hunting for food and habitat destruction. - Subfossil remains, including bones fou...