Why is the ivory billed woodpecker in danger of extinction?

Answer 1

The ivory bill was never a common species, and suffered greatly when the great southern swamp forests were logged extensively after the Civil War through the 1930's. Entire forests were cut down, and the birds had fewer and fewer places to go. Believed to be extinct for 60 years, a lone bird was videotaped in Arkansas in February 2004. Further searches in the area yielded evidence (albeit sketchy) that more than one bird was present. The bird in the video showed no red on the crest, and top woodpecker experts from Cornell Lab of Ornithology determined it was a female.

However, seven of the nine sightings in the search area told of seeing red on the bird's crest, indicating a male was also present. The team also recorded good audio of ivory bill "kent" calls, the sound the bird makes to communicate, along with the distinctive "double knock", made when the bird strikes the wood twice in quick succession, a habit known only to Campephilus woodpeckers.

Other states have since had evidence of this species. The Carolinas and Georgia, Florida, and Louisiana to be precise. Florida had numerous sightings by professor Geoff Hill's team from Auburn University, which included some video and audio evidence as well.

But the best evidence recently comes from Michael Collins, who has been searching Louisiana's Pearl River Basin, which was historically an ivory bill stronghold.

Collins has video of several encounters, which has been determined to be ivory bills by experts.

This evidence can be found on many sites now by googling Mike Collins ibwo evidence.

Answer 2

After the Civil War, greedy northern factory owners looked to landowners in the devastated south for lumber. The people needed cash, and sold their land cheaply to the northerners. The northerners clear cut many of the southern bottomland forests which the bird needed to survive. Then, to add to the problem, people cleared land to grow crops to feed their families. By the 1940's, the damage was done. Thought to be extinct for 60 years, a male bird was videotaped in an Arkansas swamp in 2004. Since, evidence of other birds have been found in other southern states.

Answer 3

Found in Arkansas in 2004, the ivory bill may not be extinct after all, although thought to be so for 60 years..May be present in other Southern states as well.