Cuban Ivory Bill

[Hidde Bruinsma]

Does any one have any substantial information on the Cuban Ivory Bill ? Are there searches going on or are there new sightings made by residents ?

[Larry Lade]

Does any one have any substantial information on the Cuban Ivory Bill ? Are there searches going on or are there new sightings made by residents ?
I assume you are referring to the Ivory-billed Woodpecker. There have been searches made in Cuba, but as far as I know, no Ivory-billed Woodpecker has been seen recently.

[Tim Allwood]

thought to probably still exist in the Sierra Maestre mountains

Tim

[gthang]

Actually, although there was the 2004 Arkansas search that yielded 15 views of the "Lord God" bird, as far as the Cuban subspecies of the bird is concerned, the last reported sighting was back in 1987, and no sightings since then (as far as I know).

Speaking of Campephilus woodpeckers, a possible sighting was posted earlier this month, by someone who went to Mexico this year. As with the Ivory-Bill, we can only hope that this sighting will prompt Cornell (or its Mexican equivalent, or whoever has the money) to do a massive confirmation search.

[Hidde Bruinsma]

Thanks folks for your reactions.
The reason why I asked this question was because there are quite a few facts, semifacts and rumours being published on the possible/probable survival of the bird. I was particularly struck by an article I read on the net about someone who made a brief investigation in two mountain ranges in eastern Cuba: the Baracoa Range and the Sierre Maestra in 2003. Now, the exciting aspect of this article is that it describes these places as "vast, untouched and inaccessible" with some great photographs to prove it. Remarkably, this stands in sharp contrast to the descriptions made by Martjan Lammertink of these places in Bird Conservation International Vol. 5 (P.53-59), based on his expedition done ten years earlier.
The article on the net is found on:www.geocities.com/miami13_dan/Ivorybill5.html and the writer is, probably but not necessarily, Chris Geraghty.
So, it seems there is a good possibility that this bird is still around as well. If only some scientists were allowed to explore these areas thoroughly.

[Jane Turner]

Cuba is actually a very simple and uncomplicated country to visit - unless you are in possession of a US Passport.

[forumfowl]

google has 42 results (click hear) 5-18-06 (http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=cuba%2Bbilled%2Bivory%2BBaracoa%2BSierra%2BMaest ra+&btnG=Google+Search) :bounce:

[AmpelisChinito]

Can I ask what the difference is between the Cuban and American Ivory-billed Woodpecker?

[Tim Allwood]

The species is considered likely to be extinct in Cuba, as intensive searches have not found any new records subsequent to those of the late 1980s4. Calls heard in 1998 suggested that it might survive in the highest reaches of the Sierra Maestra in south-east Cuba1,2, an area from which there had been no historical records and at an elevation higher than the known altitudinal range of the species4. Follow-up searches in the area found poor habitat and no indications of presence of the species5. Any remnant population in either the USA or Cuba is likely to be tiny.

references can be found here:

http://www.birdlife.org/datazone/species/index.html?action=SpcHTMDetails.asp&sid=719&m=0

[Hidde Bruinsma]

The morphological differences between the continental and the Cuban birds are quite small: the Cuban birds have the white line extended up to the bill (which is also the case in about 20 % of the continental birds), their bills are slightly shorter and narrower and the red crest feathers of the male are longer than the black ones, which are of the same length in the North American form.
(Notice I write this in the present tense.)

[Hdroadcurlew]

[QUOTE=Hidde Bruinsma]The morphological differences between the continental and the Cuban birds are quite small: the Cuban birds have the white line extended up to the bill (which is also the case in about 20 % of the continental birds), their bills are slightly shorter and narrower and the red crest feathers of the male are longer than the black ones, which are of the same length in the North American form.
(Notice I write this in the present tense.)

Hi Gang,

Well I have a BUNCH of experience related to the general Ivory bill topic and the cuban thread as well.

In January of 2004, i was the ornithologist/film-maker assigned to the Field Museum/Cornell Lab of O expedition to the Sierra Maestra and other locations near Santiago de Cuba. WE spent a month in the field recording and filming in High Definition- the birds of this section of Cuba. We have several of the top cuban ornithologists and other top Cuban biologists with us. Very impressed with their caliber and ability to keep plugging on with VERY LIMITED resources.


WE were in or VERY near some of the areas reported to have IBWOs in recent years. I left VERY discouraged. But there was a very interesting report of a nesting attempt in a fairly remote and somewhat restricted area. Many of these reports were vague and lacked details.
The Bush administration has since complicated any return to Cuba and instigated Cuban Government response. VERY Unfortunate. However, I repeat I have little hope for IBWO in Cuba.

After one month back home in Montana, I got a secretive call from the Lab asking about my availability to go somewhere. Within a week I was in Arkansas as part of the Lab's secret efforts to document the IBWO in Bayou de View Arkansas. Until Martjan passed me this year, I had more time on the ground than any other person involved in the Search.

I had 4 "close encounters" with IBWO during 2004 and 2005. Obviously, and frustratingly, I was unable to be in position or (at other times) take advantage of being in the right place and right time. Very Frustrating.
However, I am clearly on record of ----not believing---- (pay attention) KNOWING there is indeed at least one and much more likely --are 3 IBWOs in Arkansas. I suspect very strongly that the birds in the Pearl River will also be documented as IBWO in the next few years. Mike Collins is workign very hard to accomplish this.

OK that is enough from me... fire away or ask me questions...
All my Best,

Tim Barksdale
Birdman Productions LLC
MundoAveLoco! LP
Choteau, MT
aka Hdroadcurlew

[Hidde Bruinsma]

Hi Tim,

Why, Tim ? Why are you so discouraged about the Cuban Ivory Bill ? Wasn't there enough habitat you think, or was there enough forest but the birds could not be found ? Please, tell us.
Did you know there is an expedition trying to find it in those mountains right now ?

[Hdroadcurlew]

Hi Tim,

Why, Tim ? Why are you so discouraged about the Cuban Ivory Bill ? Wasn't there enough habitat you think, or was there enough forest but the birds could not be found ? Please, tell us.
Did you know there is an expedition trying to find it in those mountains right now ?

The forested areas are very, very cut over many trees are so small -especially when compared with Arkansas. i question whether the bird can survive there. However, I always will remain hopeful. Nature can do amazing things.

[Hidde Bruinsma]

That is discouraging indeed. But what then does the photograph on the geocities site ( referred to in post 5) prove ? I wonder if the author of that article misled us in presenting an overly optimistic picture.

[Hdroadcurlew]

That is discouraging indeed. But what then does the photograph on the geocities site ( referred to in post 5) prove ? I wonder if the author of that article misled us in presenting an overly optimistic picture.
Well this is the difficult part.

First, as I posted somewhere here today, Nature has amazing abilities to heal and repair herself IF WE give her a chance. Right now we are NOT doing so well -giving her that chance-- on that in the world.

The areas where we traveled in Cuba, held scattered large trees. But Scattered is the important word. To compare that with what is currently in Arkansas is not possible because the White River, Cache River and Bayou deView represent basically healed eco-systems. I am not going to tell you they are "out of the woods" because the hydrology there is in a critical place.... But the trees in many parts of the White River are 60 years older than when the refuge was established... and that is GREAT for Ivory-bills.
This area is an enormous 550,000 acre potential refugia for IBWO.

In Cuba, for example, one of the leading biologists- kept talking about showing us the huge trees in a part of the area, and we walked Way up a tributary, he kept going they are right here and then we'd go another 1/4 mile and then another and another until it became very apparent there were no large trees any more in this area. It was very sad.

And I will say that it is in one real sense the fault of the US. but I'd like to stay out of the political quagmire.

Martjan Lammertink and Utami are extremely capable and great field scientists. I spent a Lot of time with them in ARk. If Martjan looked over much of Cuba -he spent something like 19 months there -right?- and he found nothing and felt the trees were also not correct and our group- Field Museum and Cornell ALSO felt that way I am not certain I would spend anytime there in further search for IBWO. That is NOT saying there is no hope nor that there is zero possiblity. And it is NOT saying the birding is not great-it is. I loved Cuba and would go back in a second if I could.

But If you wanted to spend PRODUCTIVE time looking for IBWO then pick one of the southern states where habitat now exists.