 Combined , the old descriptions and subfossils show that the Réunion ibis was mainly white , with this colour merging into yellow and grey . The wing tips and plumes of ostrich @-@ like feathers on its rear were black . The neck and legs were long , the beak was relatively straight and short for an ibis . It was more robust in build than its extant relatives , but was otherwise quite similar to them . <unk> wing @-@ bones indicate it had reduced flight capabilities , a feature perhaps linked to seasonal <unk> . The diet of the Réunion ibis was worms and other items <unk> from soil . It preferred solitude ( hence the name " solitaire " ) . In the 17th century , it lived in mountainous areas , but it may have been confined to these remote heights by heavy hunting by humans and predation by introduced animals in the more accessible areas of the island . <unk> to Réunion praised its flavour , and therefore sought after its flesh . These factors are believed to have driven the Réunion ibis to extinction by the early 18th century . 
