===
Paleognathes=== ====
Apterygiformes==== The
kiwis of New Zealand •
West Coast spotted kiwi,
Apteryx occidentalis (South Island, New Zealand, c. 1900) • :A doubtfully distinct species; may be a subspecies of the
little spotted kiwi (
Apteryx owenii) or a hybrid between that species and the
Okarito kiwi (
Apteryx rowi). ===
Anseriformes===
Ducks,
geese and
swans •
Anatidaeducks, geese and swans •
Anatinaeducks •
Tadornini • Extinct species of extant genera •
Tadornashelducks •
Crested shelduck,
Tadorna cristata (Northeast Asia, 1964) • :A likely
relict species from Northeast Asia. Officially
critically endangered due to unconfirmed reports made between 1985 and 1990 and poor survey coverage of the regions. Poorly known; observed in 1672, declared extinct in 1710. •
Mauritius sheldgoose,
Alopochen mauritianus (Mauritius, Mascarenes, 1693) Last reported in 1693, declared extinct in 1698. •
Merginisea ducks • †
CamptorhynchusLabrador duck •
Labrador duck,
Camptorhynchus labradorius (northeastern North America, c. 1878)Possibly a relict species. Causes of extinction are poorly known, but at least partly driven by hunting. • Extinct species of extant genera •
Mergusmergansers •
Auckland Island merganser,
Mergus australis (New Zealand and the Auckland Islands, Southwest Pacific, c. 1902) Driven to extinction by predation by introduced mammals and hunting. •
Aythyinidiving ducks • Extinct species of extant genera •
Chenonetta •
Finsch's duck,
Chenonetta finschi (New Zealand, c. 1760) • :Causes of extinction included predation by
rats and overhunting. •
Rhodonessapink-headed duck •
Pink-headed duck,
Rhodonessa caryophyllacea (East India, Bangladesh, North Myanmar, c. 1945)sometimes included in genus
Netta, but this classification is not generally accepted. • :Population declined sharply in early 20th century due to habitat loss and hunting. • :Undescribed extinct species only known from two subfossils and two historical reports (1687, 1710) of non-
Mascarene teal ducks on Réunion. •
Anatinidabbling ducks • Extinct species of extant genera •
Marecawigeons •
Amsterdam wigeon,
Mareca marecula (Amsterdam Island, South Indian Ocean, 1793) Driven to extinction by habitat destruction, hunting, and the introduction of invasive species. •
Anas • Saint Paul Island duck,
Anas sp. (
St. Paul Island, South Indian Ocean, c. 1800) • : Only known by a single report from 1793. May be synonymous with the Amsterdam wigeon or a distinct species or subspecies. •
Mascarene teal,
Anas theodori (Mauritius and Réunion, Mascarenes, 1710) •
Mariana mallard,
Anas oustaleti (Marianas, West Pacific, 1981) – often considered a subspecies of the
mallard (
Anas platyrhynchos) or a hybrid with the
Pacific black duck (
Anas superciliosa) Hunting and habitat loss were both responsible for extinction.
Captive breeding conservation efforts were unsuccessful.) • :May have survived to the late 18th century, as evidenced by descriptions of the bird named
"Tetrao australis" and later
"Megapodius andersoni". •
Viti Levu scrubfowl,
Megapodius amissus (
Viti Levu and possibly
Kadavu,
Fiji, 20th century?) • :Only concretely known from subfossils dating 2900-2700 years before present. Likely driven to extinction by hunting. Unconfirmed sightings from the 20th century. •
Raoul Island scrubfowl,
Megapodius sp. (Raoul, Kermadec Islands, 1876) • :A hypothetical species said to have inhabited
Raoul Island until the population was wiped out in a volcanic eruption. It is not clear whether the birds represent a distinct taxon. •
Phasianidaepheasants and allies • Extinct species of extant genera •
Coturnix •
New Zealand quail,
Coturnix novaezelandiae (New Zealand, 1875) Causes of extinction involved introduced diseases, competition with invasive species, and agricultural burning. • :Last confirmed sighting in 1876. Officially
critically endangered due to ongoing unconfirmed sightings and sparse survey coverage in the historical range. Reasons for decline and possible extinction not well known, but may include hunting and habitat destruction. ===
Podicipediformes===
Grebes • Extinct species of extant genera •
Tachybaptus •
Alaotra grebe,
Tachybaptus rufolavatus (Lake Alaotra and surrounding lakes, Madagascar, 1985) • :Officially declared extinct in 2010, 25 years after the last official sighting in 1985. Its extinction was primarily due to
habitat destruction, the introduction of invasive and hybridisation with the
little grebe (
Tachybaptus ruficollis). •
Podilymbus •
Atitlán grebe,
Podilymbus gigas (Lake Atitlán, Guatemala, 1989) Extinction driven by habitat destruction, an
earthquake-driven drop in lake level in 1976, and hybridization with the
Pied-billed grebe (
Podilymbus podiceps). •
Podiceps •
Colombian grebe,
Podiceps andinus (Bogotá area, Colombia, 1977) Population rapidly declined beginning in the 1950s due to factors including habitat destruction, the introduction of carnivorous
trout, hunting, and water pollution. Extensive surveys in the 1980s failed to observe any individuals. ===
Charadriiformes=== (
Pinguinus impennis), the
Natural History Museum, London, England
Shorebirds,
gulls and
auks •
Haematopodidaeoystercatchers • Extinct species of extant genera •
Haematopusoystercatchers •
Canary Islands oystercatcher,
Haematopus meadewaldoi (eastern Canary Islands, East Atlantic, c. 1940s) • :Last confirmed sighting from 1913, reported extinct in 1940s. Extinction likely driven by overharvesting by humans of intertidal zone, habitat destruction, and introduced predators. •
Charadriidaeplovers and lapwings • Extinct species of extant genera •
Vanelluslapwings •
Javan lapwing,
Vanellus macropterus (Java, Indonesia, mid-20th century) • :Last recorded in 1940. Decline and possible extinction driven by hunting and habitat destruction. •
Eua rail,
Gallirallus vekamatolu • :Known from prehistoric bones found on
Eua. It was probably a close relative of the Vava'u rail. •
Tongatapu rail,
Gallirallus hypoleucus (Tongatapu, Tonga, Southwest Pacific, late 18th or 19th century) • Hiva Oa rail,
Gallirallus sp. •
Norfolk Island rail,
Gallirallus sp. (Norfolk Island, Southwest Pacific, early 17th century?) • :May be the bird shown on a bad watercolor illustration made about 1800. •
Chatham rail,
Cabalus modestus (Chatham Islands, Southwest Pacific, c. 1900) •
New Caledonian rail,
Cabalus lafresnanayanus (New Caledonia, Melanesia, c. 1900?) • :Officially classified as
critically endangered, the last records were in 1984 and it seems as if all of the available habitat has now been overrun by
feral pigs and
feral dogs, which preyed on this bird. •
Ascension crake,
Mundia elpenor (Ascension Island, South Atlantic, late 17th century)formerly
Atlantisia •
Saint Helena crake,
Zapornia astrictocarpus (St. Helena, South Atlantic, early 16th century) •
Laysan rail,
Zapornia palmeri (Laysan, Hawaiian Islands, 1944) •
Hawaiian rail,
Zapornia sandwichensis (Big Island, Hawaiian Islands, c. 1890) •
Kosrae crake,
Zapornia monasa (Kosrae, Carolines, c. mid-to-late 19th century) •
Tahiti crake,
Zapornia nigra (Tahiti, Society Islands, South Pacific, c. 1800) • :Known only from paintings and descriptions; its taxonomic status is uncertain, as the material is often believed to refer to the extant
spotless crake (
Zapornia tabuensis). •
Saint Helena rail,
Aphanocrex podarces (St. Helena, South Atlantic, 16th century)formerly
Atlantisia •
White swamphen,
Porphyrio albus (
Lord Howe Island, Southwest Pacific, early 19th century) •
Réunion swamphen or
oiseau bleu,
Porphyrio coerulescens (Réunion, Mascarenes, 18th century) • :Known only from descriptions. The former existence of a
Porphyrio on Réunion is fairly certain, but it has not been proven to date. •
Marquesas swamphen,
Porphyrio paepae (Hiva Oa and Tahuata, Marquesas) • :May have survived to c. 1900. In the lower right hand corner of
Paul Gauguin's 1902 painting ''Le Sorcier d'Hiva Oa ou le Marquisien à la cape rouge
, there is a bird which resembles native descriptions of P. paepae''. •
North Island takahē,
Porphyrio mantelli (North Island, New Zealand, late 19th century) • :Known from subfossil bones found in New Zealand's North Island; may have survived to 1894 or later. •
New Caledonian gallinule,
Porphyrio kukwiedei (New Caledonia, Melanesia) • :May have survived into historic times. The native name ''n'dino'' is thought to refer to this bird. •
Samoan woodhen,
Gallinula pacifica (Savaii, Samoa, 1907?) • :Probably better placed in the genus
Pareudiastes. Unconfirmed reports from the late 20th century suggest it still exists in small numbers and therefore it is officially classified as
critically endangered. •
Makira woodhen,
Gallinula silvestris (Makira, Solomon Islands, mid-20th century?) • :Only known from a single specimen, this rail is probably better placed in its own genus,
Edithornis. Unconfirmed recent records suggest it still exists and therefore it is officially classified as
critically endangered. •
Tristan moorhen,
Gallinula nesiotis (Tristan da Cunha, South Atlantic, late 19th century) •
Mascarene coot,
Fulica newtonii (Mauritius and Réunion, Mascarenes, c. 1700) •
Sharpe's rail,
Gallirallus sharpei (Indonesia?) • :Only known from a type specimen, but scientist speculate that it originated form Indonesia. Could possibly be a colour morph of the
buff-banded rail. • Fernando de Noronha rail,
Rallidae gen. et sp. indet. (Fernando de Noronha, West Atlantic, 16th century?) • :A distinct species of rail inhabited Fernando de Noronha Island, but it has not been formally described yet. It probably still existed at the time of the first Western contact. • Tahitian "goose", Rallidae gen. et sp. indet. (Tahiti, Society Islands, South Pacific, late 18th century?) • :Early travelers to Tahiti reported a "goose" that was found in the mountains. Altogether, a species of rail in the genus
Porphyrio seems to be the most likely possibility. • Bokaak "bustard", Rallidae? gen. et sp. indet. 'Bokaak' • :An unidentified terrestrial bird is mentioned in an early report from Bokaak in the Marshall Islands. It was described as a "
bustard" and may have actually been a rail or a
megapode. In the former case, it may have been a vagrant of a still-existing species; in any case, no bird that could be described as "bustard-like" is found on Bokaak today. • Rallidae gen. et sp. indet. 'Amsterdam Island' • :Unknown rail from
Amsterdam Island; one specimen was found, but it was not recovered. Extinct by 1800, it may have been a vagrant of a still-existing species. ===
Procellariiformes===
Petrels,
storm petrels,
shearwaters and
albatrosses •
Olson's petrel,
Bulweria bifax (St. Helena, South Atlantic, early 16th century) •
Saint Helena petrel,
Pseudobulweria rupinarum (St. Helena, South Atlantic, early 16th century) •
Imber's petrel,
Pterodroma imberi (Chatham Islands, Southwest Pacific, early 19th century?) • :Described from subfossil bones. •
Jamaican petrel,
Pterodroma caribbaea (Jamaica, West Indies, late 19th century?) • :Possibly a subspecies of the
black-capped petrel (
Pterodroma hasitata); unconfirmed reports suggest it may still exist. Officially classified as
critically endangered, possibly extinct. •
Pterodroma cf.
leucoptera (
Mangareva,
Gambier Islands, South Pacific, 20th century?) • :A wing of a petrel carcass that was similar in appearance to
Gould's petrel (
Pterodroma leucoptera) was recovered on Mangareva in 1922, where it possibly bred. No such birds are known to exist there today. •
Guadalupe storm petrel,
Hydrobates macrodactylus (Guadalupe Island, East Pacific, 1910s) • :Officially classified as
critically endangered, possibly extinct, but a thorough survey in 2000 concluded this species was certainly extinct. ===
Sphenisciformes===
Penguins • Extinct species of extant genera •
Eudyptescrested penguins •
Chatham penguin,
Eudyptes warhami (Chatham Islands, Southwest Pacific, between 1867 and 1872?) • :Only known from subfossil bones, but a bird kept in captivity sometime between 1867 and 1872 may refer to this species. ===
Suliformes===
Boobies and related birds •
Sulidaegannets and boobies • Mascarene booby,
Papasula sp. (Mauritius and Rodrigues, Mascarenes, mid-19th century) • An undescribed booby species that was formerly considered a population of
Abbott's booby (
Papasula abbotti). Known physically only from subfossil bones, but is likely the bird referred to as a
boeuf by early settlers; the
boeuf was last recorded on Rodrigues in 1832 and likely went extinct following the deforestation of the island. •
Phalacrocoracidaecormorants and shags •
Spectacled cormorant,
Urile perspicillatus (
Commander Islands, North Pacific, c. 1850) ===
Pelecaniformes===
Pelicans and related birds •
Threskiornithidaeibises and spoonbills • Extinct species of extant genera •
Threskiornis •
Réunion ibis,
Threskiornis solitarius (Réunion, Mascarenes, early 18th century) • :This species was the basis for the "Réunion solitaire" or "white dodo" ("
Raphus solitarius"), a supposed relative of the
dodo and the
Rodrigues solitaire. Given the fact that ibis (but no dodo-like) bones were found on
Réunion and that old descriptions match a flightless
sacred ibis quite well, the "Réunion solitaire" hypothesis has been refuted. •
Ardeidaeherons, egrets, and bitterns •
Botaurinaebitterns • Extinct species of extant genera •
Botaurus •
New Zealand bittern,
Botaurus novaezelandiae (New Zealand, late 19th century) • :Long considered to be vagrant individuals of the
Australian little bittern (
Botaurus dubius); bones recovered from Holocene deposits indicate that this was indeed a distinct taxon, but it may not be a distinct species. •
Ardeinaeherons and egrets • Extinct species of extant genera •
Nyctanassa •
Bermuda night heron,
Nyctanassa carcinocatactes (
Bermuda, West Atlantic, 17th century) • :Sometimes assigned to the genus
Nycticorax. •
Nycticorax •
Réunion night heron,
Nycticorax duboisi (Réunion, Mascarenes, late 17th century) •
Mauritius night heron,
Nycticorax mauritianus (Mauritius, Mascarenes, c. 1700) •
Rodrigues night heron,
Nycticorax megacephalus (Rodrigues, Mascarenes, mid-18th century) •
Ascension night heron,
Nycticorax olsoni (Ascension Island, South Atlantic, late 16th century?) • :Known only from
subfossil bones, but the description of a flightless Ascension Island bird by
André Thévet cannot be identified with anything other than this species. ===
Columbiformes===
Pigeons, doves and
dodos For the "Réunion solitaire", see
Réunion ibis. • †
EctopistesPassenger pigeon •
Passenger pigeon,
Ectopistes migratorius (eastern North America, 1914) • :The passenger pigeon was once among the most abundant wild bird species in the world, with a single flock numbering up to 2.2 billion birds. It was hunted close to extinction for food and sport in the late 19th century. The last individual, a mateless female named
Martha after
Martha Washington, died in the
Cincinnati Zoo in 1914. • †
DysmoropeliaSaint Helena dove •
Saint Helena dove,
Dysmoropelia dekarchiskos (St. Helena, South Atlantic, 16th century?) • :Known only from Late Pleistocene bones, but may have persisted until the 16th century. • †
RaphusDodo •
Dodo,
Raphus cucullatus (Mauritius, Mascarenes, late 17th century) • :Called
Didus ineptus by
Linnaeus. A metre-high flightless bird found on
Mauritius. Its forest habitat was destroyed when Dutch settlers moved to the island and the dodo's nests and eggs were destroyed by the pigs, cats and monkeys that the Dutch brought with them. The last specimen was killed in 1681, only 80 years after the arrival of the new predators. • †
PezophapsRodrigues solitaire •
Rodrigues solitaire,
Pezophaps solitaria (Rodrigues, Mascarenes, c. 1730) • Extinct species of extant genera •
Bonin wood pigeon,
Columba versicolor (Nakodo-jima and Chichi-jima, Ogasawara Islands, c. 1890) •
Ryukyu wood pigeon,
Columba jouyi (Okinawa and Daito Islands, Northwest Pacific, late 1930s) •
Rodrigues pigeon,
Nesoenas rodericanus (Rodrigues, Mascarenes, before 1690?) • :Formerly in
Streptopelia. Possibly a subspecies of the
Malagasy turtle dove (
Nesoenas picturatus), this seems to be the bird observed by
Leguat. Introduced rats may have caused it to become extinct in the late 17th century. •
Spotted green pigeon,
Caloenas maculata (South Pacific or Indian Ocean islands, 1820s) • :Also known as the Liverpool pigeon, the only known specimen has been in Liverpool's
World Museum since 1851, and was probably collected on a
Pacific island for
Edward Stanley, 13th Earl of Derby. It has been suggested that this bird came from
Tahiti based on native lore about a somewhat similar extinct bird called the
titi, but this has not yet been verified. •
Sulu bleeding-heart,
Gallicolumba menagei (Tawitawi, Philippines, late 1990s?) • :Officially classified as
critically endangered. Only known from two specimens taken in 1891. There have been a number of unconfirmed reports from all over the
Sulu Archipelago in 1995; however, these reports stated that the bird had suddenly undergone a massive decline and, by now, habitat destruction is almost complete. If it is not extinct, this species is certainly very rare, but the ongoing
civil war prevents comprehensive surveys. •
Norfolk ground dove,
Pampusana norfolciensis (Norfolk Island, Southwest Pacific, c. 1800) •
Tanna ground dove,
Pampusana ferruginea (Tanna, Vanuatu, late 18th or 19th century) • :Only known from descriptions of two now-lost specimens. •
Thick-billed ground dove,
Pampusana salamonis (Makira and Ramos, Solomon Islands, mid-20th century?) • :Last recorded in 1927, only two specimens exist. Declared extinct in 2005. •
Choiseul pigeon,
Microgoura meeki (Choiseul, Solomon Islands, early 20th century) •
Red-moustached fruit dove,
Ptilinopus mercierii (Nuku Hiva and Hiva Oa, Marquesas, 1922) • :Two subspecies, the little-known nominate subspecies
P. m. mercierii of Nuku Hiva (extinct mid- to late 19th century) and
P. m. tristrami of Hiva Oa (1922). •
Negros fruit dove,
Ptilinopus arcanus (Negros, Philippines, late 20th century?) • :Known only from one specimen taken at the only documented sighting in 1953; the validity of this species has been questioned, but no good alternative to distinct species status has been proposed. Officially classified as
critically endangered, it may still exist on Panay, but no survey has located it. One possible record in 2002 does not seem to have been repeated since then. •
Mauritius blue pigeon,
Alectroenas nitidissima (Mauritius, Mascarenes, c. 1830s) • Réunion blue pigeon,
Alectroenas sp. (Réunion, Mascarenes, 1619) •
Providence blue pigeon,
Alectroenas sp. (Farquhar Group, Seychelles, 19th century) • :Only known from early reports; possibly a subspecies of either the
Comoros blue pigeon (
Alectroenas sganzini) or the
Seychelles blue pigeon (
Alectroenas pulcherrimus). •
Mauritian turtle dove,
Nesoenas cicur (Mauritius, Mascarenes, 1730s) • :Similar to the
Malagasy turtle dove but more terrestrial, with more robust legs and smaller wings. Disappeared by 1730 due to hunting, predation by introduced mammals, and deforestation. •
Mauritian wood pigeon,
Columba thiriouxi (Mauritius, Mascarenes, 1730s) • :Described from subfossil remains, it is believed to have become extinct by 1730 due to hunting, predation by introduced
black rats, and deforestation. The species has been questioned due to the material being scarce and not completely distinguishable from rock doves introduced to the island in 1639. However, early historical accounts mention the existence of pigeons that were caught with ease. ===
Cuculiformes===
Cuckoos • †
NannococcyxSaint Helena cuckoo •
Saint Helena cuckoo,
Nannococcyx psix (St. Helena, South Atlantic, 18th century) • Extinct species of extant genera •
Couacouas, a genus endemic to
Madagascar •
Delalande's coua,
Coua delalandei (Madagascar, late 19th century?) ===
Cathartiformes===
New World vultures • "Painted vulture",
Sarcoramphus sacra (Florida, North America, late 18th century?) • A bird supposedly similar in appearance to the king vulture (
Sarcoramphus papa) identified by
William Bartram on his travels in the 1770s. Skeptics have stated that it is likely based on a misidentification of the
crested caracara (
Caracara plancus), although evidence has increasingly shifted towards it being a valid taxon that once existed, either as a distinct species in its own right or as a subspecies of the king vulture, based on an independent illustration of a nearly identical bird made several decades earlier by
Eleazar Albin. See the
King vulture article for discussion. ===
Strigiformes===
True owls and
barn owls
Strigidaetrue owls •
Pernambuco pygmy owl,
Glaucidium mooreorum (Pernambuco, Brazil, 2001?) • :Officially classified as
critically endangered, but it may still exist. A 2018
BirdLife study citing extinction patterns recommended reclassifying this species as possibly extinct. •
Réunion scops owl,
Otus grucheti (Réunion, Mascarenes, late 17th century?) •
Mauritius scops owl,
Otus sauzieri (Mauritius, Mascarenes, c. 1850) •
Rodrigues scops owl,
Otus murivorus (Rodrigues, Mascarenes, mid-18th century) • :The preceding three species were variously placed in the genera
Bubo,
Athene,
"Scops" (=
Otus),
Strix and
Tyto and even in their own genus,
Mascarenotus, before their true affinity was realized. •
Siau scops owl,
Otus siaoensis (
Siau Island, Indonesia, 20th century?) • :Only known from the holotype collected in 1866. It may still exist, as there are ongoing rumors of scops owls at Siau. • New Caledonian boobook,
Ninox cf.
novaeseelandiae (New Caledonia, Melanesia) • :Known only from prehistoric bones, but it may still exist. •
Laughing owl,
Ninox albifacies (New Zealand, 1914?) • :Two subspecies: the nominate subspecies
N. a. albifacies (South Island and Stewart Island, extinct 1914?) and
N. a. rufifacies (North Island, extinct c. 1870s?); circumstantial evidence suggests that small remnants survived until the early or mid-20th century.
Tytonidaebarn owls •
Puerto Rican barn owl,
Tyto cavatica (Puerto Rico, West Indies, early 20th century?) • :Known from prehistoric bones found in caves on Puerto Rico; it may have still existed up to 1912, given reports of the presence of cave-roosting owls. Likely a subspecies of, or synonymous with, the still-existing
ashy-faced owl (
Tyto glaucops). ===
Caprimulgiformes===
Caprimulgidaenightjars and nighthawks •
Jamaican poorwill,
Siphonorhis americana (Jamaica, West Indies, late 19th century?) • :Reports of unidentifiable nightjars from the 1980s in habitat appropriate for this cryptic species suggest that it may still exist. Research into this possibility is currently underway; pending further information, it is officially classified as
critically endangered, possibly extinct. •
Cuban pauraque,
Siphonorhis daiquiri (Cuba, West Indies, prehistoric?) • :Described from subfossil bones in 1985. There are persistent rumors that this bird, which was never seen alive by scientists, may still exist. Compare the
Puerto Rican nightjar (
Antrostomus noctitherus) and the preceding species. • Vaurie's nightjar,
Caprimulgus centralasicus (China, early 20th century?) • :Only known from a single specimen from
Xinjiang, China taken in 1929. It has never been seen or found again, but the validity of this supposed species is seriously disputed. It was, however, never refuted to be an immature desert-dwelling female
European nightjar (
Caprimulgus europaeus). •
New Caledonian nightjar,
Eurostopodus exsul (New Caledonia, Melanesia, mid-20th century) • :This species was sighted only once in 1939; due to its cryptic habits, it may still be extant, but this is now considered to be unlikely. ===
Aegotheliformes===
Aegothelidae •
New Caledonian owlet-nightjar,
Aegotheles savesi (New Caledonia, late 1990s) • Not to be confused with the New Caledonian nightjar. The type specimen was collected after the bird flew into a bedroom in the village of Tonghoué. This large owlet-nightjar is only known from two specimens taken in 1880 and 1915, two other confirmed sightings and two other partly disputed sightings and one unconfirmed debated sighting. The most recent report is from a 1998 expedition which saw a large nightjar foraging for insects at dusk in Rivière Ni Valley. ===
Apodiformes===
Swifts and
hummingbirds •
Letitia's thorntail,
Discosura letitiae (Bolivia?) • :Known only from three trade specimens of unknown origin. It may still exist. •
Brace's emerald,
Riccordia bracei (New Providence, Bahamas, West Indies, late 19th century) •
Gould's emerald,
Riccordia elegans (Jamaica or northern Bahamas, West Indies, late 19th century) •
Turquoise-throated puffleg,
Eriocnemis godini (Ecuador, 20th century?) • :Officially classified as
critically endangered, possibly extinct. Known only from six pre-1900 specimens, the habitat where it occurred has been destroyed. However, the bird's distribution remains unresolved. •
Guanacaste hummingbird,
Saucerottia alfaroana (Miravalles Volcano, Costa Rica) • :A possibly extinct species of hummingbird known only from a holotype collected in 1895 at the Miravalles Volcano in Costa Rica. ===
Coraciiformes===
Kingfishers and related birds •
Saint Helena hoopoe,
Upupa antaois (St. Helena, South Atlantic, early 16th century) •
Guam kingfisher,
Todirhmphus cinnamominus (Guam, West Pacific, 1986) • :This species became
extinct in the wild in 1986 when 29 birds were taken for a captive breeding program, which is still ongoing. Its decline was caused by predation by introduced
brown tree snakes. ===
Piciformes===
Woodpeckers and related birds • Extinct species of extant genera •
Colaptes •
Bermuda flicker,
Colaptes oceanicus (Bermuda, West Atlantic, 17th century?) • :Known only from fossil bones found in Bermuda and dated to the
Late Pleistocene and the
Holocene; however, a 17th-century report written by explorer Captain
John Smith may refer to this species. •
Campephilus •
Imperial woodpecker,
Campephilus imperialis (Mexico, late 20th century) • :This 60-centimetre-long woodpecker is officially classified as
critically endangered, possibly extinct. Occasional unconfirmed reports come up; the most recent was in late 2005. •
Ivory-billed woodpecker,
Campephilus principalis (southeastern United States and Cuba, late 20th century) • :The nominate subspecies, the
American ivory-billed woodpecker (
C. p. principalis), is officially classified as
critically endangered and considered possibly extinct by some authorities. • :The
Cuban ivory-billed woodpecker (
C. p. bairdii) is generally considered to be extinct, but a few patches of unsurveyed potential habitat remain. ===
Falconiformes===
Birds of prey •
Guadalupe caracara,
Caracara lutosa (Guadalupe, East Pacific, 1900 or 1903) •
Réunion kestrel,
Falco duboisi (Réunion, Mascarenes, c. 1700) ===
Psittaciformes===
Parrots , the
Museum Wiesbaden, Germany •
Strigopidaekakas and kakapos •
Extinct species of extant genera •
Nestor •
Chatham kākā,
Nestor chathamensis (Chatham Islands, New Zealand, between 1500 and 1650) •
Norfolk kākā,
Nestor productus (Norfolk and Philip Islands, Southwest Pacific, 1851?) •
Psittacidaeparrots, parakeets, and lorikeets •
Sinú parakeet,
Pyrrhura subandina (Colombia, mid-20th century?) • :This bird has a very restricted distribution and was last reliably recorded in 1949. It was not found during searches in 2004 and 2006 and seems to be extinct; efforts to find it again continue, but are hampered by the threat of armed conflict. •
Society parakeet,
Cyanoramphus ulietanus (Raiatea, Society Islands, South Pacific, late 18th century) •
Black-fronted parakeet,
Cyanoramphus zealandicus (Tahiti, Society Islands, South Pacific, c. 1850) •
Lord Howe parakeet,
Cyanorhamphus subflavescens (Lord Howe Island, Southwest Pacific, c. 1870) •
Macquarie parakeet,
Cyanorhamphus erythrotis (Macquarie Islands, Southwest Pacific, 1890s) • :Last recorded in 1890 and not found by surveys in 1894. •
Paradise parrot,
Psephotellus pulcherrimus (Rockhampton area, Australia, late 1920s) •
Oceanic eclectus,
Eclectus infectus, known from subfossil bones found on Tonga, Vanuatu, and possibly Fiji, may have survived until the 18th century or even longer: a bird which seems to be a male
Eclectus parrot was drawn in a report on the Tongan island of
Vavau by the
Malaspina expedition. Also, a 19th-century Tongan name
āā ("parrot") for "a beautiful bird found only at
Eua" is attested (see here under "kākā"). This seems to refer to either
E. infectus, which in Tonga is only known from Vavau and Eua, or the extirpated population of the
collared lory (
Vini solitaria), which also occurred there. It is possible, but unlikely, that this species survived on Eua until the 19th century. •
New Caledonian lorikeet,
Vini diadema (New Caledonia, Melanesia, mid-20th century?) • :Officially classified as
critically endangered, there have been no reports of this species since the mid-20th century. It is, however, small and inconspicuous and is likely to have been overlooked. •
Seychelles parakeet,
Psittacula wardi (Seychelles, West Indian Ocean, 1883) •
Newton's parakeet,
Psittacula exsul (Rodrigues, Mascarenes, c. 1875) •
Mascarene grey parakeet,
Psittacula bensoni (Mauritius, possibly Réunion as
Psittacula cf.
bensoni, 1760s). • :Formerly known as the Mauritius grey parrot (
Lophopsittacus bensoni). Known from a 1602 sketch by Captain Willem van Westzanen and by subfossil bones described by
David Thomas Holyoak in 1973. It may have survived into the mid-18th century. •
Mascarene parrot,
Mascarinus mascarinus (Réunion and possibly Mauritius, Mascarenes, 1834?) • :The last known individual was a captive bird which was alive before 1834. •
Broad-billed parrot,
Lophopsittacus mauritianus (Mauritius, Mascarenes, 1680?) • :It may have survived into the late 18th century. •
Rodrigues parrot,
Necropsittacus rodericanus (Rodrigues, Mascarenes, late 18th century) • :The species
N. francicus is fictional,
N. borbonicus is most likely so. •
Glaucous macaw,
Anodorhynchus glaucus (northern Argentina, early 20th century) • :Officially classified as
critically endangered due to persistent rumors of wild birds, but probably extinct. •
Cuban macaw,
Ara tricolor (Cuba, late 19th century) • :A number of related macaw species have been described from the West Indies, but are not based on good evidence. Several prehistoric forms are now known to have existed in the region, however. •
Carolina parakeet,
Conuropsis carolinensis (southeastern North America, c. 1930?) • :Although the date of the last captive bird's death in the Cincinnati Zoo, 1918, is generally given as this species' date of extinction, there are convincing reports of some wild populations persisting until later. Two subspecies,
C. c. carolinensis (Carolina parakeet, east and south of the Appalachian Mountainsextinct either 1918 or c. 1930) and
C. c. ludovicianus (Louisiana parakeet, west of the Appalachian Mountainsextinct c. 1912). •
Guadeloupe parakeet,
Psittacara labati (Guadeloupe, West Indies, late 18th century) • :Only known from descriptions; the former existence of this bird is likely both for biogeographic reasons and because details about it as described cannot be referred to any known species. •
Puerto Rican parakeet,
Psittacara maugei (Mona Island and possibly Puerto Rico, West Indies, 1890s) • :Formerly considered to be a weakly differentiated subspecies of the still-existing
Hispaniolan parakeet (
Psittacara chloropterus). •
Martinique amazon,
Amazona martinica (Martinique, West Indies, mid-18th century) •
Guadeloupe amazon,
Amazona violacea (Guadeloupe, West Indies, mid-18th century) • :These two extinct amazons were originally described from travelers' descriptions. Their existence is still controversial. ===
Passeriformes===
Perching birds , a victim of
feral cats
AcanthisittidaeNew Zealand "wrens" •
Lyall's wren,
Traversia lyalli (New Zealand, 1895?) • :A flightless species that was famously (but erroneously) claimed to have become extinct due to predation by a single lighthouse keeper's cat named "Tibbles". •
Bushwren,
Xenicus longipes (New Zealand, 1972) • :Three subspecies,
X. l. stokesi (North Island, extinct 1955); the nominate subspecies
X. l. longipes (South Island, extinct 1968) and
X. l. variabilis (Stewart Island, extinct 1972).
Tyrannidaetyrant flycatchers •
San Cristóbal flycatcher,
Pyrocephalus dubius (San Cristóbal Island, Galápagos Islands, late 20th century) • :Described as extremely rare by David W. Steadman in the 1980s and not found despite a six-month survey in 1998.
Furnariidaeovenbirds •
Cryptic treehunter,
Cichlocolaptes mazarbarnetti (eastern Brazil, 2007) •
Alagoas foliage-gleaner,
Philydor novaesi (eastern Brazil, 2011)
MohoidaeHawaiian honeyeaters. Family established in 2008, previously in Meliphagidae. •
Kioea,
Chaetoptila angustipluma (Big Island, Hawaiian Islands, 1860s) •
Hawaii ōō,
Moho nobilis (Big Island, Hawaiian Islands, 1930s) •
Oahu ōō,
Moho apicalis (Oahu, Hawaiian Islands, mid-19th century) •
Bishop's ōō,
Moho bishopi (Molokai and probably Maui, Hawaiian Islands, c. 1910 or 1980s) •
Kauai ōō,
Moho braccatus (Kauai, Hawaiian Islands, 1987)
Meliphagidaehoneyeaters and Australian chats •
Chatham bellbird,
Anthornis melanocephala (Chatham Islands, Southwest Pacific, c. 1910) • :Sometimes regarded as a subspecies of the
New Zealand bellbird (
Anthornis melanera). Unconfirmed records exist from the early to mid-1950s. • The identity of
"Strigiceps leucopogon" (an
invalid name) described by Lesson in 1840 is unclear. Apart from the holotype supposedly from "
New Holland", a second specimen from the "
Himalaya" either may have existed or may still exist. Lesson tentatively allied it to the Meliphagidae, and Rothschild felt reminded of the
kioea.
Acanthizidaescrubwrens, thornbills, and gerygones •
Lord Howe gerygone,
Gerygone insularis (Lord Howe Island, Southwest Pacific, c. 1930)
Pachycephalidaewhistlers, shrike-thrushes, pitohuis and allies •
Mangarevan whistler, ?
Pachycephala gambierana (Mangareva, Gambier Islands, South Pacific, late 19th century?) • :Tentatively placed here. A mysterious bird of which no specimens exist today. It was initially described as a shrike, then classified as an
Eopsalteria "robin" and may actually be an
Acrocephalus warbler.
Dicruridaemonarch flycatchers and allies •
Maupiti monarch,
Pomarea pomarea (Maupiti, Society Islands, South Pacific, mid-19th century) •
Eiao monarch,
Pomarea fluxa (Eiao, Marquesas, late 1970s) • :Previously considered a subspecies of the
Iphis monarch (
Pomarea iphis), this is an early offspring of the Marquesan stock. •
Nuku Hiva monarch,
Pomarea nukuhivae (Nuku Hiva, Marquesas, mid- to late 20th century) • :Previously considered a subspecies of the
Marquesas monarch (
Pomarea mendozae), this is another early offspring of the Marquesan stock. •
Ua Pou monarch,
Pomarea mira (Ua Pou, Marquesas, c. 1986) • :Also previously considered a subspecies of the Marquesas monarch, this was a distinct species most closely related to that bird and the
Fatuhiva monarch (
Pomarea whitneyi). •
Guam flycatcher,
Myiagra freycineti (Guam and Marianas, West Pacific, 1983) • :Possibly a subspecies of the
oceanic flycatcher (
Myiagra oceanica).
OriolidaeOld World orioles and allies •
North Island piopio,
Turnagra tanagra (North Island, New Zealand, c. 1970?) • :Not reliably recorded since about 1900. •
South Island piopio,
Turnagra capensis (South Island, New Zealand, 1960s?) • :Two subspecies,
T. c. minor from
Stephens Island (extinct c. 1897) and the nominate subspecies
T. c. capensis from the South Island mainland (last specimen taken in 1902, last unconfirmed record in 1963)
Corvidaecrows, ravens, jays and magpies •
Hawaiian crow,
Corvus hawaiiensis (Big Island, Hawaiian Islands, 2002) • :This species is
extinct in the wild, but it is being bred in captivity.
CallaeidaeNew Zealand wattlebirds , male (front) and female (back) •
Huia,
Heteralocha acutirostris (North Island, New Zealand, early 20th century) •
South Island kōkako,
Callaeas cinereus (South Island, New Zealand, 1960s?) • :This species is usually considered to be extinct, as it has not been reliably recorded since 1967. However, recent reports from Fiordland suggest that it may still exist.
Hirundinidaeswallows and martins •
White-eyed river martin,
Pseudochelidon sirintarae (Thailand, late 1980s?) • :Officially classified as
critically endangered, this enigmatic species is only known from migrating birds and it was last seen in 1986 at its former roost site. Recent unconfirmed reports suggest that it may still exist in
Cambodia. •
Red Sea cliff swallow,
Petrochelidon perdita (Red Sea area, late 20th century?) • :Known from a single specimen found in 1984; this enigmatic swallow may still exist, but the lack of recent records is puzzling. It is also alternatively placed in the genus
Hirundo.
Acrocephalidaeacrocephalid warblers or marsh warblers, tree warblers and reed warblers •
Nightingale reed warbler,
Acrocephalus luscinius (Guam, West Pacific, c. 1970s) •
Pagan reed warbler,
Acrocephalus yamashinae (Pagan, Marianas, West Pacific, 1970s) • :Previously considered a subspecies of the nightingale reed warbler. •
Aguiguan reed warbler,
Acrocephalus nijoi (Aguiguan, Marianas, West Pacific, c. 1997) • :Also previously considered a subspecies of the nightingale reed warbler. •
Mangareva reed warbler,
Acrocephalus astrolabii (Marianas?, West Pacific, mid-19th century?) • :Known only from two specimens found on
Mangareva Island. •
Garrett's reed warbler,
Acrocephalus musae (Raiatea and Huahine, Society Islands, South Pacific, 19th century?) • :Two subspecies,
A. m. garretti from Huahine and
A. m. musae from Raiatea. Previously considered a subspecies of the
Tahiti reed warbler (
Acrocephalus caffer). •
Moorea reed warbler,
Acrocephalus longirostris (Moorea, Society Islands, South Pacific, 1980s?) • :The last reliable sighting of this bird was in 1981. A survey in 1986 / 1987 was unsuccessful in finding it. A photograph of a warbler from Moorea in 1998 or 1999 taken by Philippe Bacchet remains uncertain, as do reports from 2003 and 2010. Also previously considered a subspecies of the Tahiti reed warbler.
MuscicapidaeOld World flycatchers and chats •
Rück's blue flycatcher,
Cyornis ruckii (Malaysia or Indochina, 20th century?) • :An enigmatic species known only from two or four possibly migrant specimens, last recorded in 1918. It may still exist in northeastern Indochina. Possibly a subspecies of the
Hainan blue flycatcher (
Cyornis hainanus).
Megaluridaemegalurid warblers or grass warblers •
Chatham fernbird,
Poodytes rufescens (Chatham Islands, Southwest Pacific, c. 1900) • :Often placed in the genus
Megalurus, but this is based on an incomplete review of the evidence.
Cisticolidaecisticolas and allies •
Tana River cisticola,
Cisticola restrictus (Kenya, Africa, 1970s?) • :A mysterious species found in the Tana River Basin in small numbers at various dates but not seen since 1972. It is probably invalid; if so, it may be based on aberrant or hybrid specimens. An unconfirmed sighting was apparently reported in 2007 at the Tana River Delta.
Zosteropidaewhite-eyes. Probably belong in Timaliidae. •
Marianne white-eye,
Zosterops semiflavus (Marianne Island, Seychelles, late 19th century) •
Robust white-eye,
Zosterops strenuus (Lord Howe Island, Southwest Pacific, c. 1918) •
White-chested white-eye,
Zosterops albogularis (Norfolk Island, Southwest Pacific, between 2006 and 2010)
Pycnonotidaebulbuls •
Rodrigues bulbul,
Hypsipetes cowlesi (Rodrigues, Mascarenes, extinction date unknown, 17th century or 18th century might be possible) • :Known only from subfossil bones. '
Sylvioidea incertae sedis''''' •
Aldabra brush warbler,
Nesillas aldabrana (Aldabra, Indian Ocean, c. 1984) •
Rodrigues "babbler" (Rodrigues, Mascarenes, 17th century?) • :Known only from subfossil bones. Provisionally assigned to Timaliidae, but its placement in this family is highly doubtful.
Sturnidaestarlings •
Kosrae starling,
Aplonis corvina (Kosrae, Caroline Islands, West Pacific, mid-19th century) •
Mauke starling,
Aplonis mavornata (Mauke, Cook Islands, mid-19th century) •
Tasman starling,
Aplonis fusca (Norfolk Island and Lord Howe Island, Southwest Pacific, c. 1923) • :Two subspecies, the nominate subspecies
A. f. fuscaNorfolk starling (extinct c. 1923) and
A. fusca hullianaLord Howe starling (extinct c. 1919). •
Pohnpei starling,
Aplonis pelzelni (Pohnpei, Micronesia, c. 2000) • :Only one reliable record since 1956, in 1995, leaves the species' survival seriously in doubt. •
Raiatea starling,
Aplonis?
ulietensis (Raiatea, Society Islands, South Pacific, between 1774 and 1850) • :Formerly called the bay thrush (
Turdus ulietensis); a mysterious bird from
Raiatea now only known from a painting and some descriptions of a (now lost) specimen. Its
taxonomic position is thus unresolvable at present although, for
biogeographic reasons and because of the surviving description, it has been suggested to have been a
honeyeater. However, with the discovery of fossils of the prehistorically extinct
Huahine starling (
Aplonis diluvialis) on neighboring
Huahine, it seems likely that this bird also belonged to this genus. •
Hoopoe starling,
Fregilupus varius (Réunion, Mascarenes, 1850s) • :Tentatively assigned to Sturnidae. •
Rodrigues starling,
Necropsar rodericanus (Rodrigues, Mascarenes, mid-18th century?) • :Tentatively assigned to Sturnidae. The bird that was variously described as
Necropsar leguati or
Orphanopsar leguati and was considered to be identical with
N. rodericanus (which itself is known only from subfossil bones) was found to be based on a misidentified
albino specimen of the
grey trembler (
Cinclocerthia gutturalis).
Turdidaethrushes and allies •
Grand Cayman thrush,
Turdus ravidus (Grand Cayman, West Indies, late 1940s) •
Bonin thrush,
Zoothera terrestris (Chichi-jima, Ogasawara Islands, c. 1830s) •
Kāmao,
Myadestes myadestinus (Kauai, Hawaiian Islands, 1990s) •
Olomao,
Myadestes lanaiensis (Hawaiian Islands, 1980s?) • :Officially classified as
critically endangered because a possible location on Molokai remains unsurveyed. Three subspecies are known from Oahu (
M. l. woahensis, extinct 1850s), Lanai (the nominate subspecies
M. l. lanaiensis, extinct early 1930s) and Molokai (
M. l. rutha, extinct 1980s?) and there may be a possible fourth subspecies from Maui (extinct before the late 19th century).
Mimidaemockingbirds and thrashers •
Cozumel thrasher,
Toxostoma guttatum (Cozumel, West Indies, early in the first decade of the 21st century?) • :It is still unknown whether the tiny population rediscovered in 2004 survived Hurricanes
Emily and
Wilma in 2005. There have also been unconfirmed records in April 2006 and October and December 2007.
IcteridaeNew World blackbirds and allies •
Slender-billed grackle,
Quiscalus palustris (Mexico, 1910)
ParulidaeNew World warblers •
Bachman's warbler,
Vermivora bachmanii (southern United States, c. 1990?) • :Officially classified as
critically endangered. •
Semper's warbler,
Leucopeza semperi (St. Lucia, West Indies, 1970s?) • :Officially classified as
critically endangered. Suitable habitat remains and there have been unconfirmed records within the last 10 years.
Ploceidaeweavers •
Réunion fody,
Foudia delloni (Réunion, Mascarenes, c. 1672) • :Formerly
Foudia bruante; the latter scientific name may actually be a color morph of the
red fody (
Foudia madagascariensis).
Cardinalidaecardinals •
Townsend's dickcissel,
Spiza townsendi • Either an extinct species, a variant of the
dickcissel (
Spiza americana), or a hybrid.
Fringillidaetrue finches and Hawaiian honeycreepers •
Bonin grosbeak,
Carpodacus ferreorostris (Chichi-jima, Ogasawara Islands, 1830s) •
Ōū,
Psittirostra psittacea (Hawaiian Islands, c. 2000?) •
Kona grosbeak,
Chloridops kona (Big Island, Hawaiian Islands, 1894) •
Lanai hookbill,
Dysmorodrepanis munroi (Lanai, Hawaiian Islands, 1918) •
Kauai palila,
Loxioides kikuichi (Kauai, Hawaiian Islands, early 18th century?) •
Lesser koa finch,
Rhodacanthus flaviceps (Big Island, Hawaiian Islands, 1891) •
Greater koa finch,
Rhodacanthus palmeri (Big Island, Hawaiian Islands, 1896) •
Greater amakihi,
Viradonia sagittirostris (Big Island, Hawaiian Islands, 1901) •
Maui nukupuu,
Hemignathus affinis (Maui, Hawaiian Islands, 1990s) •
Kauai nukupuu,
Hemignathus hanapepe (Kauai, Hawaiian Islands, late 1990s) •
Oahu nukupuu,
Hemignathus lucidus (Oahu, Hawaiian Islands, late 19th century) •
Hawaii akialoa or lesser akialoa,
Akialoa obscurus (Big Island, Hawaiian Islands, 1940) •
Maui Nui akialoa,
Akialoa lanaiensis (Lanai and, prehistorically, probably Maui and Molokai, Hawaiian Islands, 1892) •
Oahu akialoa,
Akialoa ellisiana (Oahu, Hawaiian Islands, early 20th century) •
Kauai akialoa,
Akialoa stejnegeri (Kauai, Hawaiian Islands, 1969) •
Kākāwahie,
Paroreomyza flammea (Molokai, Hawaiian Islands, 1963) •
Oahu alauahio,
Paroreomyza maculata (Oahu, Hawaiian Islands, early 1990s?) • :Officially classified as
critically endangered. The last reliable record of this bird was in 1985, with an unconfirmed sighting in 1990. •
Maui akepa,
Loxops ochraceus (Maui, Hawaiian Islands, 1988) •
Oahu akepa,
Loxops wolstenholmei (Oahu, Hawaiian Islands, 1900s) •
Ula-ai-hawane,
Ciridops anna (Big Island, Hawaiian Islands, either 1892 or 1937) •
Black mamo,
Drepanis funerea (Molokai, Hawaiian Islands, 1907) •
Hawaii mamo,
Drepanis pacifica (Big Island, Hawaiian Islands, 1898) •
Laysan honeycreeper,
Himatione fraithii (Laysan, Hawaiian Islands, 1923) •
Poouli,
Melamprosops phaeosoma (Maui, Hawaiian Islands, 2004)
Emberizidaebuntings and New World sparrows •
Hooded seedeater,
Sporophila melanops (Brazil, 20th century?) • :Officially classified as
critically endangered. It is known only from a single male collected in 1823 and has variously been considered either an aberrant specimen of the
yellow-bellied seedeater (
Sporophila nigricollis) or a hybrid. •
Bermuda towhee,
Pipilo naufragus (Bermuda, West Atlantic, 17th century?) • :Known from subfossil bones and possibly from a travel report by
William Strachey in 1610. ==Possibly extinct bird subspecies or status unknown==