Biology Reference
In-Depth Information
elsewhere have proven difficult, and no unequivocal proof that the species still exists has
emerged.
Bachman's Warbler from the southeastern United States is most likely extinct. The
last confirmed sightings in the United States were all near Charleston, South Carolina,
in 1958-61, but scattered unconfirmed sightings in the Southeast and in Cuba continued
into the 1980s.
Most American extinctions have taken place on Hawaii, where just during the twen-
tieth century we lost the Laysan Rail, Hawaii Oo, Kauai Oo, Oahu, Olomao (probably),
LanaiHookbill,GreaterAmakihi,Nukupuu(probably),LesserAkialoa,GreaterAkialoa,
Kakawahie, Oahu Alauahio, Ula-ai-hawane, Black Mamo, and the Poo-uli, which was
just declared extinct in 2004.
HELPING ENDANGERED SPECIES MAKE A COMEBACK
When severely declining birds are listed as Threatened or Endangered, the Endangered
SpeciesActisextremelyeffectiveathelpingthem.Birdconservationinitiativesthatwere
startedwhentheEndangeredSpeciesActwasenactedandenforcedhavehadsomegenu-
ine successes. Peregrine Falcons, for example, had been extirpated from virtually the en-
tire eastern half of North America, but reintroductions, often using the chicks of captive
falconsfromfalconers,broughtthespeciesbacksothatitsstatushasbeenupgradedfrom
Endangered to Threatened.
Bringing Back Raptors
After DDT was banned, Osprey and Bald Eagles made remarkable comebacks without
reintroductions. During the 1960s, Bald Eagle numbers remained fairly high in Alaska
and much of Canada but declined to 417 breeding pairs in the Lower 48 by 1963. By
1999, their numbers there had increased to more than 5,000 pairs. They have been re-
moved from the Endangered species list except in the Southwest region where they are
designated Threatened.
Between the 1950s and the 1970s, nesting Osprey declined by 90 percent on the coast
between NewYorkCity andBoston.Their recovery hasbeenstartling —their 2001pop-
ulation was estimated to reach 16,000 to 19,000 pairs.
Saving a Songbird
In1975,surveysfoundfewerthan200singingKirtland'sWarblers,limitedtoasmallarea
in Michigan. The 2007 surveys found 1,707, including 8 in Wisconsin and 2 in Ontario.
