 The first subfossil bird remains on Réunion were found in 1974 , and assigned to a stork , Ciconia sp . The remains were found in a cave , which indicated it had been brought there and eaten by early settlers . It was speculated that the remains could have belonged to a large , mysterious bird described by Leguat , and called " Leguat 's giant " by some ornithologists . " Leguat 's giant " is now thought to be based on a locally extinct population of flamingos . In 1987 , subfossils of a recently extinct species of ibis from Réunion were described as Borbonibis latipes , and thought related to the bald ibises of the genus Geronticus . In 1994 , the " stork " remains were shown to belong to this ibis as well . The 1987 discovery led biologist Anthony S. Cheke to suggest to one of the describers , Francois Moutou , that the subfossils may have been of the Réunion solitaire . This suggestion was published by the describers of Borbonibis in 1995 , and they also reassigned it to the genus Threskiornis , now combined with the specific epithet solitarius from de Sélys @-@ Longchamps ' 1848 binomial for the solitaire . The authors pointed out that the contemporary descriptions matched the appearance and behaviour of an ibis more than a member of the Raphinae , especially since a fragment of a comparatively short and straight ibis mandible was discovered in 1994 , and because ibis remains were abundant in some localities ; it would be strange if contemporary writers never mentioned such a relatively common bird , whereas they mentioned most other species subsequently known from fossils . 
 The first subfossil bird <a href='uninflect' title='1'><mark>remains</mark></a> on Réunion <a href='uninflect' title='2'><mark>were</mark></a> found in 1974 , and assigned to a stork , Ciconia sp . The remains <a href='uninflect' title='3'><mark>were</mark></a> found in a cave , which indicated it <a href='been_done' title='4'><mark>had</mark></a> been brought there and eaten by early settlers . It was speculated that the remains could <a href='been_done' title='5'><mark>have</mark></a> belonged to a large , mysterious bird described by Leguat , and called " Leguat <a href='null_genetive' title='6'><mark>'s</mark></a>giant " by some ornithologists . " Leguat <a href='null_genetive' title='7'><mark>'s</mark></a>giant " is now thought to be based on a locally extinct population of flamingos . In 1987 , subfossils of a recently extinct species of ibis from Réunion <a href='uninflect' title='8'><mark>were</mark></a> described as Borbonibis latipes , and thought related to the bald ibises of the genus Geronticus . In 1994 , the " stork " <a href='uninflect' title='9'><mark>remains</mark></a> <a href='uninflect' title='10'><mark>were</mark></a> shown to belong to this ibis as well . The 1987 discovery led biologist Anthony S. Cheke to suggest to one of the describers , Francois Moutou , that the subfossils may have been of the Réunion solitaire . This suggestion was published by the describers of Borbonibis in 1995 , and they also reassigned it to the genus Threskiornis , now combined with the specific epithet solitarius from de Sélys @-@ Longchamps <a href='null_genetive' title='11'><mark>'</mark></a>1848 binomial for the solitaire . The authors pointed out that the contemporary descriptions matched the appearance and behaviour of an ibis more than a member of the Raphinae , especially since a fragment of a comparatively short and straight ibis mandible was discovered in 1994 , and because ibis remains <a href='uninflect' title='12'><mark>were</mark></a> abundant in some localities ; it would be strange if contemporary writers never mentioned such a relatively common bird , whereas they mentioned most other species subsequently known from fossils . 
Da first subfossil bird remain on Réunion was found in 1974 , and assigned to a stork , Ciconia sp . The remains was found in a cave , which indicated it done been brought there and eaten by early settlers . It was speculated that tdaremains could done belonged to a large , mysterious bird described by Leguat , and called " Leguat  giant " by some ornithologists . " Leguat  giant " is now thought to be based on a locally extinct population of flamingos . In 1987 , subfossils of a recently extinct species of ibis from Réunion was described as Borbonibis latipes , and thought related to thdaald ibises of thedanus Geronticus . In 1994 , the datork " remain was shown to belong to dis ibis as well . The 1987 discovery led biologist Anthony S. Cheke to suggest to one of the describers , Francois Moutou , that the subfossils may have been of the Réunion solitaire . This suggestion was published by the ddaribers of Borbonibis in 1995 , and they also reassigned it to the genus Threskiornis , now combined wit the specific epithet solitarius from de Sélys @-@ Longchamps  1848 binomial for the solitaire . The authors pointed out that the contemporary descriptions matched the apdarance and behaviour of an ibis more den a member of the Raphinae , especially since a fragment of a comparatively short and straight ibis mandible was discovered in 1994 , and because ibis remains was abundant in sum localities ; it would be strange if contemporary writers never mentioned such a relatively common bird , whereas they mentioned most other species subsequently known from fossils .