Prosobonia cancellata (Gmelin)

Christmas Sandpiper (Prosobonia cancellata)  

The Christmas Sandpiper was apparently restricted to the Kiritimati atoll in Kiribati when it was discovered, described and depicted during the third voyage under the command of Captain James Cook, which visited the atoll from 1777 to 1778; it might very well have once been much wider distributed in the archipelago.

The species disappeared due to the introduction of rats to its home, it might already have been on the brink of extinction when it was first met by Europeans and probably disappeared shortly after.

*********************

Depiction from: ‘Lionel Walter Rothschild: Extinct birds: an attempt to unite in one volume a short account of those birds which have become extinct in historical times: that is, within the last six or seven hundred years: to which are added a few which still exist, but are on the verge of extinction. London: Hutchinson & Co., Paternoster Row, E. C. 1907’

(public domain)

*********************

edited: 07.05.2021