The ivory-billed woodpecker is one of the most elusive birds in North America. This large woodpecker was thought to have gone extinct in the early 20th century due to habitat loss and overhunting. However, there have been some tantalizing sightings and evidence found that suggest the ivory-bill may still exist in remote swamps and forests of the southeastern United States.
What is the ivory-billed woodpecker?
The ivory-billed woodpecker (Campephilus principalis) is one of the largest woodpecker species in the world. Nicknamed the “Lord God Bird” for its impressive size and looks, the ivory-bill reaches up to 20 inches in length with a 30-inch wingspan. It has a prominent red crest, white stripes on its neck and back, and extensive white patches on its wings. The bird gets its name from its ivory-colored bill.
Historically, the ivory-billed woodpecker lived in primary forests and cypress swamps of the southeastern United States from North Carolina to Texas, as well as Cuba. It preferred trees like bald cypress, sweet gum, and southern pines for foraging. The ivory-bill excavated nest cavities in dead trees and was dependent on large amounts of mature, uncut forest. This specialization made it vulnerable to major habitat loss across its range.
When was it thought to go extinct?
After centuries of logging that decimated prime habitat, hunting, and collecting by 19th century naturalists, the ivory-billed woodpecker population took a severe plunge. The last confirmed sighting of the ivory-bill was in northeast Louisiana in 1944. After this, most ornithologists considered the majestic woodpecker extinct.
In the 1950s, a few potential sightings occurred, but could not be confirmed with photographic evidence. Then in April 2005, it was announced that a research team had documented compelling video evidence of at least one male ivory-bill in the Big Woods region of eastern Arkansas. This ignited hopes that the “grail bird” still persisted in remnant tracts of forest.
Key Timeline
| 1708 | First ivory-bill specimen described from South Carolina by explorer John Lawson |
| 1825 | Alexander Wilson publishes painting of ivory-bill in American Ornithology |
| 1860-1890 | Habitat loss and hunting decimates ivory-bill population |
| 1924 | Last documented Florida ivory-bill sighting |
| 1944 | Final confirmed sighting in Louisiana |
| 1959 | Ivory-bill declared extinct by American Birds journal |
| 1999 | Unconfirmed sighting near Pearl River, Louisiana |
| 2004 | Cornell scientists encounter potential ivory-bill in Arkansas |
| 2005 | Official announcement of ivory-bill rediscovery in Arkansas |
What was the evidence from Arkansas?
In 2004, a research team led by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and The Nature Conservancy began surveying stretches of the Cache River and Bayou DeView in the Big Woods area of Arkansas. This region contained forests of oak and cypress trees that were once part of the ivory-bill’s historic range.
On February 11, 2004, kayaker Gene Sparling claimed he saw a strange, large black and white woodpecker near the Cache River. When he described the sighting to experts, Tim Gallagher of Cornell recognized it as potentially being an ivory-billed woodpecker. This prompted an intensive search effort in the swamps of eastern Arkansas.
Over the next 14 months, researchers recorded another 15 sightings of the woodpecker and over 200 auditory detections of its distinctive double knock and kent calls. Four of the sightings were independently confirmed. They obtained 4 seconds of video footage of a bird perched on a tree and 18 seconds of flight footage showing distinctive white patterns on its back – field marks perfectly matching an ivory-billed woodpecker.
In the footage, the white trailing edges of the wing did not flare outward, ruling out the similar-looking pileated woodpecker. The evidence convinced scientists beyond a reasonable doubt that the ivory-bill was not extinct.
Key Evidence from Arkansas
| 15 sightings | By experienced observers in 2004-2005 |
| 200+ | Auditory detections of kent calls |
| 4 seconds | Of video showing perched bird |
| 18 seconds | Of video showing distinctive flight pattern |
| Matching | Field marks consistent with ivory-bill |
What searches took place after 2005?
The apparent rediscovery of the ivory-billed woodpecker in Arkansas prompted great excitement in the ornithology community. It spawned several organized searches for ivory-bills in forested wetlands of Louisiana, Florida, South Carolina and other southern states throughout the mid 2000s.
While there were many unconfirmed sightings, searches in the following areas produced the most promising evidence for ivory-bills:
- Cache River, Arkansas – In 2005-2006, more sightings and potential evidence were found near the initial location.
- Pearl River, Louisiana – A search effort from 2005-2009 yielded multiple putative sightings and recordings of the distinctive kent call.
- Choctawhatchee River, Florida – A team documented numerous kent calls and cavities matching ivory-bill specifications from 2007-2009.
However, these potential signs of ivory-bills could not be independently verified and were disputed by some scientists. The last strong published evidence remains from the 2005 Arkansas discovery.
Have there been any recent developments?
In the past decade, there have been no widely accepted instances of conclusive photographic or video evidence of the existence of ivory-billed woodpeckers. A few potential sightings have occurred:
- In 2009, Samantha Holger reported seeing a large woodpecker near Palmetto, Florida that she believed was an ivory-bill.
- Retired Missouri police officer Keith Mullins claimed in 2015 he captured photos of an ivory-bill near Pascagoula, Mississippi.
- A kayaker reported a potential brief sighting on the Chickasawhay River in Mississippi in 2019.
However, experts remain skeptical about these recent anecdotal accounts. Remote camera traps set up in Louisiana, Florida and Arkansas from 2009-2015 failed to capture definitive proof. Acoustic recordings from these areas are generally considered inconclusive as well.
Currently, the ivory-billed woodpecker is classified as Critically Endangered and Possibly Extinct by the IUCN Red List. Most ornithologists believe evidence indicates small pockets may persist, but proof remains elusive. The Holy Grail for birdwatchers continues to be capturing clear photographic evidence of ivory-bills in the wild.
What does the future hold?
If the ivory-billed woodpecker still exists, it likely survives in tiny remnants of 1-2 breeding pairs in the vast swamps of Arkansas, Louisiana or Florida. Their range has diminished more than 99% from historical times.
The factors that originally pushed the ivory-bill to likely extinction are still present.Logging continues to threaten old-growth forests in the South. Climate change will alter forest and swamp hydrology. Unless protections are enacted, the outlook remains bleak.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has set aside nearly $21 million for ivory-billed conservation and surveys. But without verifiable evidence, they remain on the U.S. endangered species list as possibly extinct. Until convincing proof surfaces, the future of this iconic woodpecker remains tenuous at best.
Ivory-bill Conservation Status and Outlook
| IUCN Red List | Critically Endangered (Possibly Extinct) |
| U.S. ESA Status | Endangered (Possibly Extinct) |
| Population Estimate | Likely less than 50 birds left |
| Range | 99%+ diminished from historic levels |
| Threats | Habitat loss, climate change |
| Conservation Funding | $21 million (2005-present) |
| Future Outlook | Not promising without evidence and protections |
Conclusion
The ivory-billed woodpecker captivates the imagination of birders and conservationists as an iconic “lost species” that may still persist in the wild. While hopes were raised by the apparent rediscovery in Arkansas swamps in 2004-2005, conclusive evidence remains elusive in the intervening years.
Tantalizing but disputed sightings and recordings have fueled debate about whether this magnificent bird still exists or has faded into extinction. Most experts believe a few clinging individuals may remain in remote strongholds such as the Congaree Swamp of South Carolina.
However without verified proof and enhanced protections of southern swamp forests, the probability of long-term survival is vanishingly small. The fate of the Lord God bird remains a source of both hope and uncertainty for the environmental community worldwide.
