Inaccessible bird species (1 Viewer)

[Maffong]

I'm updating the spreadsheet:
First I need to incorporate the taxonomic changes from IOC 14.1 and 14.2.
The following will be added to the spreadsheet. Quite many IMHO:

From 14.1
Nicobar Hooded Pitta (Pitta abbotti) Cat D2
White-gorgeted Fantail (Rhipidura coultasi) Cat E
Guadalcanal Fantail (Rhipidura ocularis) Cat E

From 14.2
Karimui Owlet-nightjar (Aegotheles terborghi) Cat E
Marquesan Swamphen (Porphyrio paepae) Cat A0
Macquarie Parakeet (Cyanoramphus erythrotis) Deletion
White-tailed Tityra (Tityra leucura) Cat E
Sulu Cuckooshrike (Coracina guillemardi) Cat D1
Rossel Cicadabird (Edolisoma rostratum) Cat E
Selayar Whistler (Pachycephala teysmanni) Cat E
Utupua Whistler (Pachycephala utupuae) Cat E
Vanikoro Whistler (Pachycephala vanikorensis) Cat E
Ash's Lark (Mirafra ashi) Deletion
Vella Lavella Monarch (Symposiachrus nigrotectus) Cat E
Mindoro Island Thrush (Turdus mindorensis) Cat E
Moluccan Island Thrush (Turdus deningeri) Cat E
Bismarck Island Thrush (Turdus heinrothi) Cat E/A2?
Bougainville Island Thrush (Turdus bougainvillei) Cat E
Solomons Island Thrush (Turdus kulambangrae) Cat E
White-headed Island Thrush (Turdus pritzbueri) Cat E?
New Caledonian Island Thrush (Turdus xanthopus) Cat E/A2?
Tasman Sea Island Thrush (Turdus poliocephalus) Cat A0
Maratua Shama (Copsychus barbouri) Cat A1
Kangean Shama (Copsychus nigricauda) Cat E/A1?
Larwo Shama (Copsychus omissus) Cat E?

Especially the Island Thrush and Shama situations are quite a headache to work out, so any help is appreciated.

Second I need to incorparate status changes:

• A0: I don't think any species has been declared globally extinct in the last year, but if I'm not mistaken Akikiki is now thought to be Extinct in the wild (with Akekee likely soon to follow). Other Hawaiian birds have been declared extinct by American authorities but IUCN has yet to follow suit.
• A1: On the other hand Spix's Macaw might soon be downgraded (upgraded?) to Critically Endangered.
• A2: From what I hear, Javan Green Magpie is still hanging on somewhere on Java, so should likely be moved to E (for the while).
• B: Cuban Kite in B (self-organised expedition) seems weird and might fit better in E (extremely rarely observed)?! Any Opinions?
• C: I recently learned that diving tours routinely visit the Revillagigedos and even a rockjumper tour in 2026 wants to try for permits or at least from water. Even though such trips might get lucky with a few endemics, I feel like these opportunities are so sparse that such places might still be considered inaccessible. Not sure how to handle this...
• D1: Have any of the recent wars or terrorist attacks rendered a site and thus a species inaccessible that isn't yet in the list? Venezuela and Israel are surely problematic at the moment, also the situation Chad has deteriorated... Will have to look into this more closely.
• D2: I moved the Nicobar species from C (permits required) to D2 (off-limits for other reasons than travel warnings), but both categories seem to fit equally well. Wasn't there talks of opening up the Nicobars to outsiders anywhay?
• E: Will have to check the category E birds, some of which surely have passed the 10 observations mark by now.

Quite a lot of work to keep the list up-to-date...

 

[raymie]

I thought Cuban Kite was considered probably extinct?

 

[lgonz1008]

Cuban Kite is a mess of a bird to consider as simply overlooked. The bird has been rare since the early 1900s, persecuted by locals mistaking it for a "chicken hawk" and the same locals actively harvesting the polymita snails that the bird exclusively feeds on.

While yes, it is possible that it's overlooked since most tour companies don't visit Eastern Cuba and Cuban birders are few and far between, it should be noted that the bird was last reported in Alejandro de Humboldt National Park (in 2010). The park is a hotspot for biodiversity studies within the island since the 1980s with active projects to survey and attempt to find other critically endangered/extinct species like Cuban Solenodon and Cuban Ivory-billed Woodpecker (for those wondering if the woodpecker deserves to be considered Cuban, it's a distinct subspecies that preferred a different habitat and biology than the northern subspecies).

Even with all of these active projects and the fact that the park is regularly visited by more general nature lovers, the only regularly reported raptor in that part of Cuba is the Red-tailed Hawk.

Do I think the species is extinct? I hope not, but reality is that chances of someone realistically finding one is less than seeing a Spix's Macaw in the wild.

As for accessibility to the region, it might be possible for most people, but good luck convincing a travel agent to allow an US citizen into a place that's in the same province as Guantanamo Bay.

 

[Maffong]

The following category E species now have more than 10 observations on ebird (number of observations in brackets).
Is anyone aware of any reasons why they should not be deleted?

Santa Marta Sabrewing (21)
Somali Pigeon (12)
Manus Dwarf-Kingfisher (13)
New Ireland Dwarf-Kingfisher (15)
Chestnut-headed Nunlet (12)
Taliabu Myzomela (11)
Eastern Wattled Cuckooshrike (11)
Somali Lark (20)
Philippa's Crombec (12)
Somali Golden-winged Grosbeak (14)
Carrizal Seedeater (13)

 

[Jacana]

The following category E species now have more than 10 observations on ebird (number of observations in brackets).
Is anyone aware of any reasons why they should not be deleted?

Santa Marta Sabrewing (21)
Somali Pigeon (12)
Manus Dwarf-Kingfisher (13)
New Ireland Dwarf-Kingfisher (15)
Chestnut-headed Nunlet (12)
Taliabu Myzomela (11)
Eastern Wattled Cuckooshrike (11)
Somali Lark (20)
Philippa's Crombec (12)
Somali Golden-winged Grosbeak (14)
Carrizal Seedeater (13)

I think it depends on how many duplicates there are there. If several people from one group have reported one bird individually, or if a single bird has been twitched independently over a short period then does that matter for your purposes?

 

[DMW]

I'm not sure if Hainan Peacock Pheasant is still on the list, but it can certainly be removed. There are commercial hides in Jianfengling now where you can sit plotting elaborate and painful ways of killing noisy Chinese bird photographers while watching the peacock pheasant.

 

[Maffong]

I think it depends on how many duplicates there are there. If several people from one group have reported one bird individually, or if a single bird has been twitched independently over a short period then does that matter for your purposes?

I will stick to the number generated by ebird as otherwise I'll never be done with checking information over and over again. Category E is a rather arbitrary one anyways that only highlights the rarest reported species. Some are rarely reported as their ranges are hard to reach others are just difficult to identify. It's kind of a category to catch species that should be included in the list, but don't fit any of the other categories with the caveat, that other species that don't really belong are added as bycatch. I hope that makes sense?!

 

[Diedert]

I will stick to the number generated by ebird as otherwise I'll never be done with checking information over and over again. Category E is a rather arbitrary one anyways that only highlights the rarest reported species. Some are rarely reported as their ranges are hard to reach others are just difficult to identify. It's kind of a category to catch species that should be included in the list, but don't fit any of the other categories with the caveat, that other species that don't really belong are added as bycatch. I hope that makes sense?!

I forget what the rules are but is Santa Marta Sabrewing doable by your 'standard' birders or just by researchers and people who know people who know people (and are very nice and friendly to those important people) and thus get access?
I think that site would still be classified as 'off-limits' if the above does not apply to you.
Perhaps move to C?

I don't think anything has changed recently with the political situation. Venezuela is still doable for tourists, but we have yet to see for how long...

 

[lgonz1008]

I forget what the rules are but is Santa Marta Sabrewing doable by your 'standard' birders or just by researchers and people who know people who know people (and are very nice and friendly to those important people) and thus get access?

It seems like there are plans to bring birders in, but you need to wait at least another year and only through access by local guides/land owners.