- Campephilus principalis
Identification
The Ivory-billed Woodpecker (Campephilus principalis) is a very large member of the woodpecker family, Picidae; it is officially listed as an endangered species, but by the end of the 20th century had widely been considered extinct.
Reports of at least one male bird in Arkansas in 2004 and 2005 were suggested in April 2005 by a team led by the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology (Fitzpatrick et al., 2005). If confirmed, this would make the Ivory-billed Woodpecker a lazarus species, a species that is rediscovered alive after being considered extinct for some time.
In June 2006, a $10,000 reward was offered for information leading to the discovery of an Ivory-billed Woodpecker nest, roost or feeding site.
In late September 2006, a team of ornithologists from Auburn University and the University of Windsor published a paper detailing suggestive evidence for the existence of Ivory-billed Woodpeckers along the Choctawhatchee River in northwest Florida (Hill et al., 2006).
Neither of these recent "re-discoverys" of the Ivory-billed Woodpecker have provided conclusive evidence of the continued existence of this species and anouncements to this effect have been widely criticised.
If this iconic bird – a symbol of lost southern bayous and swamps – still exists, it would become a symbol of hope for conservationists throughout the world. Efforts begun in the 1970s preserved vital habitat for the species, allowing any remaining birds to survive. Major land acquisition and restoration efforts are currently underway to protect the possible survival of this woodpecker.
Photo is of the artifical female bird created for demonstration purposes.
