No, I am not talking about pet birds that have flown off, I am talking about entire species that haven’t been seen in the wild in many years.
ABC is mobilizing resources and partners to conduct searches for some of South America’s lost birds. We’re starting with three: the Tachira Antpitta, the Turquoise-throated Puffleg, and the Kinglet Calyptura.
It could be that these species still survive but are simply in locations not frequented by birders because of remote locations or difficult terrain.
I was recently in Ecuador but not in the area where the Turquoise-throated Puffleg was last seen around 70 years ago. They are quite beautiful, the drawing below comes from Wikipedia.
The search is on for these unseen species and several others. Occasionally bird species do resurface when researchers or even normal birders stumble upon them. Wouldn’t it be great to be the one who proves a species is still alive?