Sunday, February 10, 2008

IBWO Toots: An Archive of Ivory-billed Woodpecker Blog Postings

I well remember the excitement I felt when I first heard rumors, back in April 2005, that there would soon be a major announcement coming out of Arkansas about the Ivory-billed Woodpecker (Campephilus principalis). Someone must surely have discovered a breeding pair, I thought. My greatest fear was realized when what was reported was not a breeding pair, but the sighting(s) of a single individual. And when I viewed the blurry image that was presented as purported documentation, my heart sank. In subsequent months and years I found myself inexorably drawn into the IBWO debate, growing ever more skeptical of the “evidence” being put forth claiming the continued existence of IBWOs in the southeastern U.S.

Caption: This ghostly image of the skull of Campephilus principalis is from the University of Texas.
As someone with a definite opinion on the subject, I found it impossible to resist occasionally offering up my own comments. In the 34 months since the announced “rediscovery,” I have written no fewer than 65 blog-posts relating (directly or indirectly) to the IBWO; some are whimsical or frivolous while others are more serious and ubstantive in nature. They’ve all been fun to research and write. My IBWO blog-posts are listed here in inverse chronological order:

3 Comments:

Blogger Bobby said...

i like your work, your site.
please visit mine: ibwfound.blogspot.com
where you find 4 comments you will understand why i believe. you may e-mail me @ivorybillwp@aol.com

February 10, 2008 7:26 AM  
Blogger JP said...

Interesting topic, John. It raises the question "extinct until proven extant, or extant until proven extinct"? I haven't read through the studies thoroughly examining either the original case or recent claims, myself. But it does bring to mind the legions of other U.S. birds that have gone extinct (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_extinct_animals_(USA)#Birds)

February 10, 2008 1:50 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

You were and are one of the few balanced voices during this entire IBWO fiasco.

Oops, guess I took sides. Sorry.

February 11, 2008 2:18 PM  

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