 The species was termed a land @-@ bird by Dubois , so it did not live in typical ibis habitats such as wetlands . It has been proposed that this is because the ancestors of the bird colonised Réunion before swamps had developed , and had therefore become adapted to the available habitats . They were perhaps prevented from <unk> Mauritius as well due to the presence of red rails there , which may have occupied a similar niche . It appears to have lived in high altitudes , and perhaps had a limited distribution . The only mention of its diet and exact habitat is Jean Feuilley 's account from 1708 , which is also the last record of a living individual : 
