Nearly 12,000 species of birds exist in the wild, and every day, humans document their sightings of the animals. But a handful of avian species haven\u2019t been spotted in years\u2014or, in some cases, in more than a century.<\/p>\n
Now, scientists have compiled an up-to-date list of \u201clost\u201d birds\u2014and they\u2019re asking members of the public to keep an eye out for these elusive winged creatures.<\/p>\n
Humans have driven an estimated 1,430 bird species extinct over the last 130,000 years. But the birds on the new list are not necessarily gone\u2014they just haven\u2019t been photographed or recorded in at least a decade.<\/p>\n
To come up with the list, researchers analyzed more than 42 million photos, sound recordings and videos captured by amateur birders and uploaded to the citizen science platforms of iNaturalist, Xeno-Canto and the Macaulay Library, which includes eBird. They also looked at scientific papers, museum collections and media from search engines, and they consulted with local experts.<\/p>\n
In a June paper published in Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment, the team described 144 bird species that had not been documented in more than a decade. But they conducted that analysis two years ago, and since then, recent sightings and a few classification technicalities have brought that number down to 126 lost birds, according to a statement from the American Bird Conservancy.<\/p>\n
\nSPECIES REDISCOVERED! An expedition led by our Madagascar Program team rediscovered the dusky tetraka, a songbird that hasn’t been seen in 24 years. Read the story here: https:\/\/t.co\/PWW0sMNZdG<\/a><\/p>\n
📸 The Peregrine Fund’s Dr. Rene de Roland with dusky tetraka by John C. Mittermeir pic.twitter.com\/tZ9xqj4OX5<\/a><\/p>\n
\u2014 The Peregrine Fund (@peregrinefund) March 1, 2023<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n