The possibility of unearthing bird species that have not been seen in many years is as exciting as it can get for an ornithologist.
As I read about this project to search for lost birds by American Bird Conservancy, ReWild, and BirdLife International, my nerves tingle with anticipation and I find myself dreaming of the avian wonders that may yet come to light.
As part of this project, a top-10 list of lost bird species was identified to target for searches. Of these, 2 have already been unearthed - Colombia's Santa Marta Sabrewing and Madagascar's Dusky Tetraka, along with one that was not on the list - Black-naped Pheasant-Pigeon of Papua New Guinea.
Congratulations to all involved, especially John C. Mittermeier, who is truly the Indiana Jones of ornithologists!
See more about this project here: https://lnkd.in/gGTZyPj4
While we celebrate these successes, it is also vital to remember that we lose billions of birds, both common and rare, every year to habitat loss, feral/domestic cats, and collisions with glass.
While the implementation of solutions to each of these challenges is underway, the issue of glass collisions is one that can be remedied the most easily (nothing is easy in conservation, and I say this in truly relative terms).
There are a host of highly effective solutions available, such as visual markers by Feather Friendly® Bird Collision Deterrent Markers, but adoption is not where it should be. More legislation is needed, more awareness is needed, and more people need to care.
Find out how we are saving birds, one pane of glass at a time, here: https://lnkd.in/gEgp6JYH
With fall around the corner, I am dreading the dead birds that I will find around Toronto. It does not have to be this way at all. Whether you act out of a sense of responsibility, out of a love for birds, or even because it is part of your CSR initiative, act you must.
In the meanwhile, I wrench myself away from this heaviness and dream of seeing the Santa Marta Sabrewing.
One day!
When John C. Mittermeier was 15 years old, he received the book Threatened Birds of the World, a large volume published in 2000 covering more than 1,200 species at risk of extinction. “I saw a distribution map for a bird in the South Pacific that was nothing but question marks, and that just completely captivated my imagination,” he says. “I have never looked back since.” 🗺️
Indeed, he has not. As the Director of the Search for Lost Birds, a collaboration between ABC, Re:wild, and BirdLife International, John is laser-focused on replacing question marks on range maps by locating Earth’s rarest birds. 🔍
The most exciting aspect of the Search for Lost Birds? It’s just getting started… https://bit.ly/3LWRwqZ
#SearchForLostSpecies #LostBirds #BirdConservation #EndangeredSpecies #RareBirds #BirdResearch #ProtectBiodiversity #WildlifeConservation 📷 Santa Marta Sabrewing, John Mittermeier
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