Extinct birds

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This page refers only to birds that have gone extinct in historical times and were subject to scientific study. For a list of early taxa of birds known only from fossils, see Fossil Birds. For birds extinct in Late Quaternary prehistoric times and (usually) known from specimens not completely fossilized, please refer to Later Quaternary Prehistoric Birds.

Image:Giant Haasts eagle attacking New Zealand moa.jpg Since 1500, over 100 species of birds have become extinct, and this rate of extinction seems to be increasing. The situation is exemplified by Hawaii, where 30% of all known recently extinct species originally lived. Other areas, such as Guam, have also been hard hit; Guam has lost over 60% of its native species in the last 30 years, many of them to the introduced Brown Tree Snake.

There are today about 10,000 species of birds, and roughly 1200 (8,5%) of them are considered to be under threat of extinction. Except for a dozen or so species, the threat is man-made.

Island species in general, and flightless island species in particular are most at risk. The disproportionate number of rails in the list reflects the tendency of that family to lose the ability to fly when geographically isolated. Even more rails became extinct before they could be described by scientists; these taxa are listed in Later Quaternary Prehistoric Birds.

Contents

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Extinct species

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Ratites

A subspecies of the Ostrich.
The taxonomy of the elephant birds is not fully resolved; it is almost certain that at least one taxon survived until Recent times, but it is not clear which species the reports refer to, if there were indeed more than one.
Generally believed to have been extinct by 1500, this is the only moa species that according to current knowledge might have survived until later times, possibly as late as the 1830s.
This taxon had, unlike the preceding two relatives of the Emu, not evolved beyond subspecies status, although all three forms were isolated from the mainland Emu at the the same time. The reason was probably that the Tasmanian population was considerably larger (owing to the much larger amount of habitat) whereas the King and Kangaroo Island populations - especially the former - were much stronger influenced by effects of small population size.
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Ducks, geese and swans

A relic species from Northeast Asia. Officially critically endangered due to recent unconfirmed reports.
Officially critically endangered due to parts of its former range not yet being surveyed, but probably extinct. The only area in which it might reasonably still exist is Northern Myanmar due to its remoteness: the Leaf Muntjac, a species of small deer, was newly described from the Putao area as late as 1998. Reports of Pink-headed Ducks continue to be received from this area, but searches have been inconclusive.
Officially critically endangered, but probably extinct.
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Quails and relatives

Officially critically endangered. Not recorded with certainty since 1876, but thorough surveys are still required, and there is a recent set of possible (though unlikely) sightings around Naini Tal in 2003. A little-known native name from Western Nepal probably refers to this bird, but for various reasons, no survey for Ophrysia has ever been conducted in that country, nor is it generally assumed to occur there (due to the native name being overlooked).
  • Heath Hen, Tympanuchus cupido cupido, (New England, North America, 1937)
A subspecies of the Greater Prairie-Chicken or possibly a distinct species.
A subspecies of the Sharp-tailed Grouse.
A subspecies of the Helmeted Guineafowl. Reportedly still kept in captivity in Morocco in late 1990s.
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Grebes

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Petrels and storm-petrels

Might be a subspecies of the Black-capped Petrel; unconfirmed reports suggest it might survive.
  • Pterodroma cf. leucoptera (Mangareva, Gambier Islands, 20th century?)
A wing of a carcass similar to Gould's Petrel was recovered on Mangareva in 1922, where it possibly bred. No such birds are known to exist there today.
Only known from 6 specimens taken in 1927 near Vanuatu. Might still survive; breeding grounds unknown and was not recognized until 2001.
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Cormorants and related birds

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Herons and related birds

This species was the base for the supposed "Réunion Solitaire", a supposed relative of the Dodo and the Rodrigues Solitaire. Given the fact that ibis, but no dodo-like bones were found on Réunion and that old descriptions match a flightless Sacred Ibis quite well, the "Réunion Solitaire" hypothesis has been refuted.
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Bird of prey

This subspecies of Frances' Goshawk from Ndzouani (Anjouan), Comoros, was last seen in 1978; given that few habitat remains, it is probably extinct.
The nominate subspecies of the Nicobar Sparrowhawk - which is currently listed as Vulnerable - is possibly extinct. It was last reliably recorded in 1901 and despite searches, has not been sighted after an unconfirmed record in 1977.
A subspecies of Steller's Sea Eagle
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Rails and allies

May have survived into the 19th century. in the lower right corner of Paul Gauguin's 1902 painting Le Sorcier d'Hiva Oa ou le Marquisien à la cape rouge there is a bird which reminds of native descriptions of P. paepae.
Known only from descriptions. Former existence of a Porphyrio on Réunion fairly certain, but not proven to date.
Unknown rail from Amsterdam Island, one specimen found but not recovered. Extinct by 1800.
A subspecies of the Arabian Bustard.
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Shorebirds, gulls and auks

May still exist; officially classified as critically endangered
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Sandgrouse

A subspecies of the Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse.
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Pigeons, doves and dodos

Image:ExtinctDodoBird.jpeg

The passenger pigeon was once probably the most common bird in the world, a single swarm numbering up to several billion birds. It was hunted close to extinction for food and sport in the late 19th century. The last individual died in the Cincinnati Zoo in 1914.
A subspecies of the Wood Pigeon.
A subspecies of the Metallic Pigeon.
Also known as the Spotted Green Pigeon, the only specimen has been in Liverpool Museum since 1851, and was probably collected on a Pacific island for Edward Stanley, 13th Earl of Derby. It has been suggestes that this bird came from Tahiti based on native lore about a somewhat similar extinct bird called titi, but this has not been verified.
Called Didus ineptus by Linnaeus. A meter-high (yard-high) flightless bird found on Mauritius. Its forest habitat was lost when Dutch settlers moved to the island and the dodo's nests were destroyed by the monkeys, pigs, and cats the Dutch brought with them. The last specimen was killed in 1681, only 80 years after the arrival of the new predators. See also dodo tree.
A mysterious bird of unknown affinities, known from one or two bones and the description of François Leguat.
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Parrots

The only parrot native to the eastern US, the Carolina Parakeet was hunted to extinction for its plumage and to prevent damage to crops; it also suffered from destruction of its habitat. The last one died in the Cincinnati Zoo in 1918.
A smaller related form described as Mauritius Grey Parrot (Lophopsittacus bensoni), may be the female of L. mauritianus.
The species N. borbonicus and N. francicus are almost certainly fictional.
Officially critically endangered due to persistent rumours of wild birds, but probably extinct.
A number of related species have been described from the West Indies, but are not based on good evidence. Several prehistoric forms are now known to have existed in the region, however.
The extinct amazon parrots were originally described after travelers' descriptions. Both are nowadays considered valid extinct species closely related to the Imperial Parrot.
Officially critically endangered, there have been no reliable reports of this bird since the early 20th century.
  • The Pacific Eclectus Parrot, Eclectus infectus, known from subfossil bones found on Tonga, Vanuatu, and possibly Fiji, may have survived until the 18th century: a bird which seems to be a male Eclectus parrot was drawn in a report on the Tongan island of Vava'u by the Malaspina expedition.
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Cuckoos

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Owls

A subspecies of the Reddish Scops Owl. Known from a single questionable specimen and may not be valid.
A subspecies of the Puerto Rican Screech Owl of somewhat doubtful validity which occurred on several of the Virgin Islands, West Indies. The last reliable records are in 1860; it was not found in thorough surveys in 1995.
A subspecies of the Burrowing Owl.
A subspecies of the Burrowing Owl.
Known only from prehistoric bones, but might still survive.
A subspecies of the Southern Boobook.
Individuals of the nominate subspecies were introduced in a last-ditch effort to save the local owl population. There now exists a hybrid population of a few dozen birds; the last individual of N. n. undulata, a female named Miamiti died in 1996.
Two subspecies, S. a. albifacies and S. a. rufifacies.
Doubtfully distinct from nominate subspecies, but differed behaviorally.
Subspecies of Lesser Masked Owl. Last seen in 1921; the identity of a similar bird found on Seram remains to be determined.
Subspecies of Sulawesi Owl or separate species. Possibly extant, but only specimen known taken in 1938 and no further records.
Subspecies of Oriental Bay Owl or possibly distinct species. Taxonomy doubtful but only specimen lost in 1945 bombing raid so validity cannot be verified; no population exists on Samar today.
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Nightjars

Reports of unidentifiable nightjars in habitat appropriate for S. americanus suggest that this cryptic species may still exist. Research into this possibility is currently underway.
Described from subfossil bones in 1985. There are persistent rumors that this bird, which was never seen alive by scientists, may still survive. Compare Puerto Rican Nightjar.
This distinct subspecies of the White-throated Eared-Nightjar is possibly a separate species. It was found only once; due to its cryptic habits, it possibly still exists, but this is now considered unlikely.
Only known from a single 1929 specimen from Xinjiang, China. It has never been found again, and it is quite possibly invalid as it has not yet been compared to the similar subspecies of the European Nightjar, C. europaeus plumipes which occurs at the locality where C. centralasicus was found.
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Hummingbirds

Known only from 3 trade specimens of unknown origin. Might still exist.
A mysterious bird known only from a single specimen of unknown origin. Might be a hybrid (although the specimen is very distinct) or might still exist.
A subspecies of the Juan Fernandez Firecrown.
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Kingfishers and related birds

This subspecies of the Sulawesi Kingfisher was last seen in 1997 but not during a thorough survey one year later; it is either close to extinction or already extinct. Sometimes it is said to occur on Talaud Islands also, but this is erroneous.
This was probably a sub-species of the Micronesian Kingfisher Halycon cinnamomina. Only seen once by scientists, in 1887; the specimen taken is somewhat damaged, making identification by other than molecular analysis difficult.
Only known from a single 1844 specimen, the nominate subspecies of the Tuamotu Kingfisher was not found anymore when it was next searched for in 1922.
The nominate subspecies of the Blue-banded Kingfischer; the last specimen was taken in 1937 and the last unconfirmed records are fron the 1950s.
This subspecies of the Little Kingfisher is probably extinct.
A subspecies of the Variable Kingfisher which has not been observed in a long time and is probably extinct.
This subspecies of the Madagascar Pygmy Kingfisher is only known from one specimen taken in 1974 in an area where most habitat had already been lost.
A subspecies of the Tarictic Hornbill of somewhat uncertain status - possibly a distinct species, possibly a color morph -; the last confirmed report was in 1971 and it became extinct shortly thereafter.
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Woodpeckers and related birds

The nominate subspecies of the White-mantled Barbet has not been seen since the late 1940s and its habitat has been almost completely destroyed.
Another subspecies of the White-mantled Barbet, last seen in 1950.
A subspecies of the Red-shafted Flicker (or the Northern Flicker, as C. auratus rufipileus), it was last recorded in 1906 and not found anymore in 1922. Recently, vagrant birds of a mainland subspecies have begun recolonizing the island as the habitat improves after the removal of feral goats.
This bird is known from a single specimen taken in 1926 and was long believed to be a subspecies of the Rufous-headed Woodpecker. As it was confined to caatinga habitat, which has been largely destroyed where the bird was once found, it is most likely extinct.
This 60-centimeter-long woodpecker is officially listed as critically endangered and is believed to now be extinct. Occasional unconfirmed reports come up, the most recent in late 2005.
The nominate subspecies of the Buff-rumped Woodpecker became rare during the 19th century due to destruction of habitat. The last confirmed record was in 1880, and it obviously became extinct in the early 20th century.
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Passerines

A subspecies of the Scale-throated Earthcreeper, it is only known from 2 specimens taken in the early 1950s at Puno, Peru, and has never been found since. It might still exist, or have become extinct due to habitat destruction in the meantime.
3 subspecies: X. l. stokesi - North Island, extinct 1955; X. l. longipes - South Island, extinct 1968; X. l. variabilis - Stewart Island, extinct 1972.
A subspecies of the Rufous Bristlebird.
A subspecies of the Northern Scrub-Robin.
A subspecies of the Iphis Monarch.
A subspecies of the Marquesas Monarch.
Another subspecies of the Marquesas Monarch.
A third subspecies of the Marquesas Monarch.
A subspecies of the Grey Fantail.
A subspecies of the Rufous Fantail.
A subspecies of the Bar-bellied Cuckoo-shrike.
A subspecies of the Blackish Cuckoo-shrike.
Possibly a distinct species.
A subspecies of the Dark-throated Oriole.
  • Pied Raven, Corvus corax varius var. leucophaeus (Faroe Islands, 1948)
A distinct local variety of the Icelandic subspecies of the Common Raven.
A subspecies of the White-throated Dipper of questionable validity.
A subspecies of the Star Finch; officially critically endangered but probably recently extinct. Not known to survive in captivity.
A subspecies of the House Finch.
Officially critically endangered, this was once the most widespread species of Hawaiʻian honeycreeper. It has not been seen since the late 1980s.
The subspecies from Oʻahu (H. l. lucidus) is extinct since the late 19th century, that of Kauaʻi (H. l. hanapepe) most probably since the late 20th century and that of Maui (H. l. affinis) has not been reliably seen since 1995.
A subspecies of the Maui ʻAlauahio (or properly Maui Nui ʻAlauahio).
  • Kakawahie, Paroreomyza flammea (Molokaʻi, Hawaiʻian Islands, 1963)
  • Maui Akepa, Loxops coccineus ochraceus (Maui, Hawaiʻian Islands, 1988)
A subspecies of the Akepa.
Another subspecies of the Akepa.
The last individuals of this subspecies of the ʻApapane, possibly a distinct species, disappeared in a sandstorm, probably on the night of April 23/April 24, 1923.
  • Poʻo-uli, Melamprosops phaeosoma (Maui, Hawaiʻian Islands, 2004?)
The most recent extinction on this list. What was most likely the last known bird has died in captivity on 28 November 2004.
A subspecies of the Seaside Sparrow.
A subspecies of the Song Sparrow.
Another subspecies of the Song Sparrow.
A subspecies of the Spotted Towhee.
A subspecies of the Varied Tit.
A subspecies of the Rock Wren which became extinct around 9 AM, August 1, 1952, when its island habitat was devastated by a massive volcanic eruption.
A subspecies of Bewick's Wren.
Another subspecies of Bewick's Wren.
  • Daito Wren, Troglodytes troglodytes orii (Daito Islands, Northwest Pacific, c.1940)
A subspecies of the Winter Wren.
A subspecies of the House Wren (or, if that species is split, the Southern House Wren).
Another subspecies of the (Southern) House Wren.
A subspecies of the Ruby-crowned Kinglet that has not been found in recent times.
A subspecies of the Streak-breasted Bulbul.
A subspecies of the Nightingale Reed Warbler of uncertain validity.
A valid taxon, probably a subspecies of the Nightingale Reed Warbler, known from just 2 specimens found at an unknown location in the western Pacific.
Another doubtful subspecies of the Nightingale Reed Warbler.
A subspecies of the Millerbird.
A poorly known subspecies of the Tahiti Reed Warbler.
Another subspecies of the Tahiti Reed Warbler, known only from a drawing.
A subspecies of the Long-legged Warbler; it was only found once.
A subspecies of the Canary Islands Chiffchaff.
A subspecies of the Sardinian Warbler.
Sometimes considered a subspecies of the Mayotte White-eye. Possibly occurred on other islands in ther Seychelles as well.
The nominate subspecies of the Bridled White-eye.
The nominate subspecies of Everett's White-eye.
A subspecies of the Bearded Tit.
The nominate subspecies of Jerdon's Babbler was last seen in 1941, but due to the lack of recent fieldwork, it might still exist.
A completely mysterious bird from Raiatea, now only known from a painting and some descriptions of a (now lost) specimen. Its taxonomic position is unresolvable, although for biogeographic reasons and because of the surviving description, it has been suggested to have been a honeyeater. However, with the discovery of fossils of the prehistorically extinct starling Aplonis diluvialis on neighboring Huahine, it seems more likely that this bird also belonged into this genus.
Two subspecies, A. f. fuscus - Norfolk Island Starling; A. fuscus hullianus - Lord Howe Starling.
The bird variously described as Testudophaga bicolor, Necropsar leguati or Orphanopsar leguati which was considered to be identical with N. rodericanus (which is only known from fossils) was finally resolved to be based on a misidentified partially albinistic specimen of the Martinique Trembler (Cinclocerthia gutturalis) (Olson et al., Bull. B.O.C. 125:31).
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See also

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External links and references

List adapted, expanded and updated from that in Extinct Birds, Fuller, ISBN 0-19-850837-9 (Extinct Birds is an absorbing study of the world's recently extinct bird species, the first complete survey since Walter Rothschild's classic work of 1907)de:Ausgestorbene Vögel fr:Liste des espèces d'oiseaux disparues pt:Aves extintas

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