Evidence for the Survival of the Ivory-Billed Woodpecker (5 Viewers)

[Bonsaibirder]

Hi Tom,

If you go to the "updates" thread you will surely get the majority view about the IBWs but you wont get a balanced view. All questions about WHETHER the IBWOs survive or not were diverted to this thread here. And if you have read 17 pages you can see that any expression of doubt (even here) is met with aggressive messages (if you're lucky) and personal attacks (if you're not).

The (quite wrong) assumption seems to be that if you don't believe the evidence, or if you point out problems with the evidence then you must WANT IBWOs to be extinct. This is quite ridiculous and if I hadn't read it I would not believe such attitudes existed.

So, its your choice ...

The update is that there are no updates ....


Saddinall

Having now run to 17 pages, I'm a little bit lost with this thread. Anyone fancy giving me a summary of the current majority view in the USA of whether these IBW are for real...?

:C

 

[mrtweedy1]

major update

On page 13 of the current issue of "Winging It" (American Birding Association publication) it says that the "Checklist Committee has not changed the status of the species from Code 6 (extinct) to another level that would reflect a small surviving population. The Committee is waiting for unequivocal proof that the species still exists."

 

[daven1024]

Another Take on This Whole Thread

On page 13 of the current issue of "Winging It" (American Birding Association publication) it says that the "Checklist Committee has not changed the status of the species from Code 6 (extinct) to another level that would reflect a small surviving population. The Committee is waiting for unequivocal proof that the species still exists."

After reading this thread...here is my take for what is it worth.

There are 2 camps...believers and non-believers.
The level of evidence needed for the believers is lower
than the non-believers. Everyone has there own
personal level of evidence that they need to believe.
There are extremes in both camps. Some need
the photo/video /DNA or some other unequivocal proof.
Others just need a few sightings by birders/ornithologists
that they trust. This is an individual preference
and not a factor in one's birding skill...etc. Both camps
will never completely agree....unless evidence shows
with 100 percent certainty that the IB exists....a
photo/video/DNA evidence. Even then, someone will
no doubt claim a fake or hoax.

The longer in time no one finds irreputable evidence...the bigger
the non-believer camp becomes. If 5 years go by w/
no evidence...the non-believer camp will be very large. there
will still be some holdouts and that is ok. We should continue
searching for this bird and preserving this habitat.

 

[Larry Lade]

Hello daven1024,

I see this is your first post and would like to welcome you to the BirdForum.

We are glad to have you join us in our appreciation of nature, especially wild birds.

We hope you find this site enjoyable and rewarding.

You make some good points in your above post.

 

[daven1024]

Thanks

Hello daven1024,

I see this is your first post and would like to welcome you to the BirdForum.

We are glad to have you join us in our appreciation of nature, especially wild birds.

We hope you find this site enjoyable and rewarding.

You make some good points in your above post.

Thanks. I have already learned quite a bit.
good luck with your yearlist!

 

[Bonsaibirder]

Believers/Non-believers

Hi Daven1024,


For what its worth, I agree 100% with what you have said. The most important thing being your last sentence.

I suppose one of the reasons that this thread is slowing down somewhat is that there is no new evidence being produced at the moment and most of the participants are fairly fed up with argueing about ... sorry, discussing the evidence that already exists.

If you haven't seen it yet, its worth keeping an eye on the 'updates' thread where there are interesting discussions about habitat for and habits of IBWOs.

Cheers,

Saddinall

After reading this thread...here is my take for what is it worth.

There are 2 camps...believers and non-believers.
The level of evidence needed for the believers is lower
than the non-believers. Everyone has there own
personal level of evidence that they need to believe.
There are extremes in both camps. Some need
the photo/video /DNA or some other unequivocal proof.
Others just need a few sightings by birders/ornithologists
that they trust. This is an individual preference
and not a factor in one's birding skill...etc. Both camps
will never completely agree....unless evidence shows
with 100 percent certainty that the IB exists....a
photo/video/DNA evidence. Even then, someone will
no doubt claim a fake or hoax.

The longer in time no one finds irreputable evidence...the bigger
the non-believer camp becomes. If 5 years go by w/
no evidence...the non-believer camp will be very large. there
will still be some holdouts and that is ok. We should continue
searching for this bird and preserving this habitat.

 

[daven1024]

Attacks instead of Debates....

Hi Daven1024,


For what its worth, I agree 100% with what you have said. The most important thing being your last sentence.

I suppose one of the reasons that this thread is slowing down somewhat is that there is no new evidence being produced at the moment and most of the participants are fairly fed up with argueing about ... sorry, discussing the evidence that already exists.

If you haven't seen it yet, its worth keeping an eye on the 'updates' thread where there are interesting discussions about habitat for and habits of IBWOs.

Cheers,

Saddinall

As for me, the odds are against the IB survival. I just don't see how a remnant population could have escaped notice for all these years. It would be a miracle if the claims are true and it exists! For me, I need a lot of conclusive evidence....like the photo/video. BUT...as you emphasized, we still should continue searching for this bird and preserving this awesome habitat that was so abused in the past.

The only ray of hope I have is that Cornell Lab of Orn. (CLO) really seems to believe they have found this bird. I hold the CLO in high regard and I can't believe that they would risk their reputation on what many consider inconclusive evidence. They must know something more...I hope.

Regards,

Dave