World's Biggest Woodpecker Species Now Feared Extinct

[hatrack]

CAMBRIDGE, 11th July 2003 - "BirdLife International researchers have expressed their fear that the stunning Imperial Woodpecker, Campephilus imperialis, may now be extinct after an expedition to the last area reporting sightings of the bird found no evidence of a resident population.

The black-and-white woodpecker, at 60cm long the biggest in the world, was formerly found throughout the Sierra Madre Occidental mountains of northwestern Mexico, and was not historically a rare species within its habitat of pine forests at high altitudes. However, the last confirmed report of the bird was in 1956, although there had been eight local reports of sightings since that date in two remote areas.

EDIT

The Imperial Woodpecker will now be listed in the 2004 IUCN Red List as Critically Endangered (Possibly Extinct). The bird's decline has come through the loss of its habitat - it required extensive areas (26 km2 per pair) of continuous open and untouched pine forest with dead trees for feeding and nesting. Although large areas of pine forests remain, they are logged, with dead trees cut down. Hunting is also thought to have contributed to the bird's downfall.

EDIT

'Few people can imagine a bird more impressive than the much publicised and closely related Ivory-billed Woodpecker, but the Imperial Wodpecker was 20% bigger at 60 cm long - that's one huge woodpecker, and it's a tragic day to lose almost the last hope of its survival. The world will be a poorer place without the Imperial Woodpecker,' concludes (ed. - BL International's Americas Programme Manager David) Wege."

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http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/WO0307/S00154.htm

[roguevalley]

1. This kind of thing crushes me.

I am so sad.

[JitterbugPerfume]

2. this is very bad news

bird populations every where seen to be in danger

[pmbryant]

4. Yes

;(

--Peter

[Bright_Future]

3. is this all thats left of them?