Extinct? Bird Rediscovered

Posted by Rosemary Drisdelle Oct 2, 2007

The story of the Recurve-billed Bushbird, Clytoctantes alixi, can’t help but remind one of the Ivory-billed Woodpecker. Clytoctantes alixi was once apparently fairly common, but the species declined due to habitat loss and wasn’t seen for more than forty years. It was feared extinct until some birds were sighted in Venezuela in 2004. More birds have been seen since then and they are turning up in more and more locations—at least in northern Venezuela and northern Columbia, the species survives and appears to be doing fairly well, even in disturbed habitat.

The Recurve-billed Bushbird has an intriguing name and a charming appearance —and the two things go hand in hand. The bill of this species curves up toward the tip, giving the appearance of a pleased smile. The birds are not really smiling of course: the beak is designed for delving in twigs and bamboo stems for insects.

If the Recurve-billed Bushbird can turn up alive after forty years, why can’t the Ivory-billed Woodpecker? The jury’s still out on the woodpecker, but it’s ominous that three years of intensive searching have failed to turn up any definitive evidence, while the same period of time has conclusively proven the existence of the Recurve-billed Bushbird and revealed its presence in more locations.

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