Are all “extinct” birds really extinct?

This video says about itself:

John W. Fitzpatrick, Director of the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology at Cornell University discusses the rediscovery of the Ivory-billed Woodpecker and the various questions that have been raised as to authenticity of the rediscovery. He played video and audio clips dealing with the rediscovery that had never been shown or played publicly.

From BirdLife:

Quest launched to find ‘lost’ birds

21-08-2009

BirdLife International is launching a global bid to try to confirm the continued existence of 47 species of bird that have not been seen for up to 184 years.

The list of potentially lost birds is a tantalising mix of species ranging from some inhabiting the least visited places on earth – such as remote islands and the western Himalayas – to those occurring in parts of Europe and the United States.

“The mention of species such as Ivory-billed Woodpecker, Jamaican Petrel, Hooded Seedeater, Himalayan Quail, and Pink-headed Duck will set scientists’ pulses racing. Some of these species haven’t been seen by any living person, but birdwatchers around the world still dream of rediscovering these long lost ghosts”, said Marco Lambertini, BirdLife International’s chief executive.

“History has shown us that we shouldn’t give up on species that are feared to have gone to their graves because some, such as Cebu Flowerpecker, have been rediscovered long after they were feared extinct, providing hope for the continued survival of other ‘long-lost’ species. Cebu Flowerpecker, of the Philippines, was only rediscovered at the eleventh hour just before the last remnants of its forest home were destroyed.”

See also here.

Koreke, the extinct New Zealand quail: here.

New possible sighting of Ivory-billed woodpecker raises hope, skepticism: here.

Searches at sea off the eastern coasts of Jamaica in November 2009 have revealed the presence of significant numbers of Pterodroma petrels. The pelagic expedition was part of the global Tubenoses Project coordinated by Hadoram Shirihai and Vincent Bretagnolle and was supported by BirdLife International’s Preventing Extinctions Programme with funds from the British Birdwatching Fair. Its primary aim was to look for the Critically Endangered (and possibly extinct) Jamaica Petrel Pterodroma caribbaea. This mythical seabird – known locally as the ‘Blue Mountain Duck’ – has not been recorded since 1879 when the last specimens were collected in Jamaica’s Blue Mountains: here.

New paper on ivory-billed woodpecker published: here.