The Philippine eagle (Pithecophaga jefferyi) is a large, forest-dwelling raptor endemic to the Philippines and one of the rarest eagles in the world. As an apex predator, it plays a crucial role in maintaining the ecological balance of the country’s primary forests, relying on its elongated crest, broad wings, and strong talons to hunt arboreal […]
The ivory-billed woodpecker and the imperial woodpecker are currently the rarest woodpeckers in the world, if they still exist at all. With no confirmed sightings in decades, these species are either functionally extinct or surviving in extremely low numbers, hidden in remote forests. Close behind them are the Okinawa woodpecker, tellow-faced flameback, and Fernandina’s flicker, […]
The Siau scops owl and the Pernambuco pygmy owl are currently the rarest owls in the world, with likely fewer than 50 individuals remaining in the wild. Their populations are so critically low that they may soon vanish entirely unless immediate conservation action is taken. Close behind them are the Annobon scops owl, Seychelles scops […]
The Madagascar fish eagle is currently the world’s rarest eagle, with no more than 240 mature individuals. The Great Nicobar serpent eagle may soon surpass it in rarity, though its exact population remains uncertain, with some estimates as low as 200 mature individuals. This article highlights not only the rarest eagles by population size but […]
The Himalayan quail (Ophrysia superciliosa) is a critically endangered species of quail, possibly extinct, last confirmed in 1876. It was historically recorded in the Western Himalayas of India, where it inhabited steep grassy slopes interspersed with scrub. Despite multiple surveys, no definitive evidence of its existence has been found in over a century, though some […]
The California condor (Gymnogyps californianus) is the largest land bird in North America, with a wingspan reaching up to 3 meters (9.8 feet). Historically widespread across the western part of the continent, its population declined drastically due to habitat destruction, lead poisoning, and hunting. By 1987, the species was extinct in the wild, with all […]
The Antioquia brushfinch (Atlapetes blancae) is a medium-sized passerine bird endemic to Colombia, inhabiting montane shrubland and forest edges in the northern Andes. Known only from a few collected specimens, it was long considered extinct until its rediscovery in 2018 near San Pedro de los Milagros. Recent surveys estimate a total population of up to […]
The great Indian bustard (Ardeotis nigriceps) is one of the heaviest flying birds and a critically endangered species native to the dry grasslands of India and Pakistan. Once widespread, its population has plummeted to fewer than 200 individuals due to habitat loss, hunting, and human encroachment. Conservation efforts are underway, but the species remains on […]
The akikiki is currently North America’s rarest bird, with fewer than 10 individuals remaining as of 2023. The ivory-billed woodpecker, though likely extinct, has had no confirmed sightings since 1987 and remains unverified as such. Meanwhile, the California condor, once extinct in the wild, has been successfully reintroduced, with 369 individuals recorded in the wild […]
The cone-billed tanager (Conothraupis mesoleuca) is a rare and elusive bird species endemic to Brazil. First described in 1939, it remained undetected for 65 years before its rediscovery in 2003 in Emas National Park, Goiás. Additional populations have since been identified, but its distribution remains highly fragmented. Due to habitat destruction and limited known populations, […]