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Geographical variation in the Buff-banded rail (Gallirallus philippensis) in the south-west Pacific (known as the banded rail in New Zealand) is reassessed in the light of the origin of island stocks and nomadism. Nomadism appears to have diluted divergent evolution on small islands and (sub) continental mainlands throughout the region, and from it lines of colonisation from mainland sources have been adduced. There appear to be no justifiable subspecies on mainland Australia, and others on islands in the Bismarck Sea are open to question; one new subspecies, G, p. tounelieri, is described from cays in the Coral Sea.