70 of the world’s rarest birds still found in the wild

Sulu hornbill, silvery pigeon, Magenta petrel, Amsterdam albatross, and the recently reintroduced Spix’s macaw are some of the world’s rarest birds – reduced to critically small numbers, often just tens of individuals. Despite their status, these species can still be found in the wild, if you’re lucky enough to spot them.

In this article, we explore the rarest and most threatened bird species from across different families and groups. We begin with globally scarce birds still holding on in the wild and potentially recoverable, then move toward those brought to the very brink of extinction – species whose survival now depends on urgent, targeted conservation efforts.

Green peafowl (Pavo muticus)

• Conservation status: Endangered.
• Estimated population: 10,000-20,000 mature individuals.
• Range and habitat: Scattered populations across Southeast Asia; prefers dry deciduous forest near rivers and wetlands.
• Threats: Hunting, habitat loss, agricultural intensification, forest fragmentation, egg collection, poisoning.

The green peafowl is the rarest of the two true peafowl species and has experienced widespread decline across its historical range in South and Southeast Asia. Once widespread from India to southern China and Indonesia, the species is now confined to fragmented populations in Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos, China (Yunnan), and Java.

Some local populations, particularly in Thailand and Cambodia, have shown signs of stability or modest recovery due to increased patrols and community-based conservation. Even so, the global population is estimated at no more than 20,000 mature individuals, occupying increasingly isolated habitats, primarily in undisturbed dry deciduous forests close to water sources.

The species is under intense pressure from hunting for meat, feathers, eggs, and live capture, with snares posing a major threat in many lowland forests. Habitat degradation from agricultural expansion, grazing, fire, and human settlement continues to fragment and erode suitable habitat. In China and Thailand, peafowl are also persecuted as agricultural pests and sometimes poisoned. Populations outside protected areas are especially vulnerable, though even within reserves, illegal hunting persists.

Conservation efforts include legal protection, protected area expansion, public awareness campaigns, and a captive breeding program aimed at potential reintroductions. Continued enforcement, habitat management, and coordinated landscape-level conservation strategies are urgently needed to halt further decline of this emblematic bird.

Sociable lapwing (Vanellus gregarius)

• Conservation status: Critically Endangered.
• Estimated population: Approximately 11,000 mature individuals.
• Range and habitat: Breeds in Kazakhstan and Russia; migrates through the Middle East to wintering grounds in Sudan, Pakistan, and India.
• Threats: Illegal hunting, habitat degradation, trampling at nesting sites, climate change.

The sociable lapwing is a critically endangered migratory shorebird with a fragmented distribution and a complex flyway. Once widespread across the steppes of central Asia, it suffered dramatic declines throughout the 20th century due to habitat conversion and declining survival. More recent research in Kazakhstan has revealed higher-than-expected breeding densities, suggesting a global population of approximately 11,000 mature individuals.

Key stopover points during migration include Turkey, Syria, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan, with wintering grounds concentrated in Sudan, Pakistan, and India. Tracking studies show highly variable migration routes, with some birds crossing the Caspian Sea and others following overland paths through the Middle East or Central Asia.

Despite these population insights, the species remains in decline, largely due to low adult survival. The primary threat is illegal hunting along its migration routes and wintering grounds. Breeding success is also impacted by trampling from livestock, predation, and human disturbance, especially near settlements where nesting densities tend to concentrate. Historical threats, such as steppe cultivation and collapse of nomadic grazing systems, have been partially offset by habitat recovery in post-Soviet landscapes.

International conservation action, including satellite tracking, coordinated counts, and education campaigns, has advanced our understanding, but continued protection, threat mitigation, and enforcement across multiple countries are essential to prevent further losses.

New Zealand rock wren (Xenicus gilviventris)

• Conservation status: Endangered.
• Estimated population: Approximately 5,000 mature individuals.
• Range and habitat: South Island of New Zealand; alpine and subalpine zones, especially rocky slopes, scree, and shrubland.
• Threats: Nest predation by stoats and mice, climate change, range fragmentation, lack of predator control in key areas.

The New Zealand rock wren is a tiny alpine passerine and the only surviving member of the ancient New Zealand wren lineage still found in alpine habitats. Once present in the North Island, it now survives only in isolated populations across the South Island, inhabiting alpine and subalpine environments above the treeline. Its preferred habitats include rocky slopes, talus, scree fields, and bluff edges dotted with low shrubs, between 1,000 and 2,500 meters.

Though never abundant, the current population is estimated at around 5,000 mature individuals, with a significant decline of 50-70% projected between 2017 and 2027.

Introduced mammalian predators, especially stoats and mice, are responsible for devastatingly high nest failure rates, reaching 80-100% in unmanaged sites. Stoats access even cliffside nests, often preying on chicks during outbreak years. Some areas, such as Mount Cook National Park and the Murchison Mountains, have seen local declines exceeding 40% over two decades. Ongoing climate change poses an additional threat by potentially enabling ship rats to colonize higher elevations.

While predator control has improved survival and reproductive success in managed areas, many populations remain unprotected. Translocations to predator-free islands like Secretary and Anchor Islands have shown promise, and expanding predator control and monitoring remains a key conservation priority.

Guadalupe murrelet (Synthliboramphus hypoleucus)

• Conservation status: Endangered.
• Estimated population: Around 5,000 mature individuals.
• Range and habitat: Offshore islets and cliffs off Baja California, Mexico.
• Threats: Invasive predators, oil spills, habitat degradation, climate-related food disruption.

The Guadalupe murrelet is the rarest auk in the world, with an estimated 5,000 mature individuals. Nearly 90% of the global population breeds on Guadalupe Island and its offshore islets, notably Islotes Zapato and Morro Prieto. First described in 1860, this elusive seabird suffered early population collapse due to cat predation, which continues to limit recolonization of its historic range.

Once found on multiple Baja California islands, including Cedros and Natividad, it now breeds only at a handful of sites, with a preference for steep sea-slopes and vegetated cliffs. Spotlight surveys and nest counts suggest breeding persists primarily on predator-free offshore rocks, though a few nests have been found on Guadalupe proper despite ongoing predation.

The species faces a suite of persistent threats. Introduced cats and rats remain the most significant danger, capable of devastating entire colonies. Oil spills pose a serious risk at sea, with murrelets highly susceptible to both acute and chronic contamination. While past levels of organochlorine pollution (e.g. DDT) may have reduced reproduction, current effects appear minimal. Additional pressures include climate-related food resource variability and incidental bycatch in gill-net fisheries, though the latter is currently considered a low-level threat.

Conservation efforts such as predator eradication, biosphere reserve designation, and biosecurity on islets have helped stabilize key colonies. However, full recovery depends on rigorous predator control, population monitoring, and protection of all breeding habitats.

Shoebill (Balaeniceps rex)

• Conservation status: Vulnerable.
• Estimated population: Fewer than 8,000 individuals.
• Range and habitat: Isolated swamps from South Sudan to Zambia.
• Threats: Hunting, egg collection, habitat destruction, trade.

The shoebill may be one of the creepiest-looking birds on the planet, but its eerie stare and prehistoric bill didn’t spare it from landing on this list. Found in scattered and fragmented wetlands across East-Central Africa, from the Sudd swamps of South Sudan to the Bangweulu Wetlands in Zambia, this solitary and secretive bird is thought to number fewer than 8,000 individuals in total. Most are concentrated in South Sudan, which may hold over half of the global population.

Elsewhere, numbers are small and likely declining, with many national populations estimated at fewer than 500 individuals. Despite being broad-ranging, the shoebill’s patchy distribution and extremely specific habitat preferences make it vulnerable to disturbance and population fragmentation.

Shoebills nest and hunt in swampy landscapes dominated by papyrus and other emergent vegetation. They are mostly sedentary but may move locally with changing water levels. A top wetland predator, they prey primarily on lungfish and catfish, as well as reptiles and amphibians. Despite their formidable appearance, breeding success is low, and only one chick typically survives per nest. Their long maturation period and high sensitivity to disturbance amplify the impact of threats: fire, agriculture, oil exploration, illegal trade, and egg theft all take a toll.

Local protections exist in several regions, including Ramsar designations and site-based conservation in Bangweulu, Zambia. Yet across much of their range, hunting, habitat loss, and poor enforcement continue to drive declines.

Christmas Island frigatebird (Fregata andrewsi)

• Conservation status: Vulnerable.
• Estimated population: 2,300-5,000 mature individuals.
• Range and habitat: Breeds only on Christmas Island (Australia); forages widely across Southeast Asia.
• Threats: Direct persecution by fishers, bycatch, overfishing, marine pollution, habitat loss.

Once feared to be in steeper decline, the Christmas Island frigatebird has shown signs of long-term vulnerability rather than immediate collapse. Endemic to Australia’s Christmas Island, this tropical seabird breeds in a few isolated forest patches along the island’s northern coast and spends much of its non-breeding life soaring across Southeast Asian seas.

Estimates of the global population vary, with genetic studies suggesting a maximum of around 5,000 mature individuals, but field surveys place the number closer to 2,300-2,400. Its entire breeding range is confined to a few hundred hectares on a single island, where nesting occurs biennially in tall coastal trees.

The species’ biggest threat now comes not from its island home but from human activity at sea. Christmas Island frigatebirds are frequently targeted by fishers in Indonesia and Malaysia – shot, captured, or even poisoned. Accidental entanglement in fishing gear, compounded by overfishing of tuna and other predatory fish that drive prey to the surface, threatens their food supply.

While the species once suffered from phosphate mining and habitat clearance, today its forest habitat is relatively protected. However, climate change, marine pollution, and the potential spread of invasive species like the yellow crazy ant continue to pose long-term risks. Most breeding colonies are now located within protected areas, and collaborative conservation efforts between Australia and Indonesia remain key to preventing further declines.

Owston’s tit (Sittiparus owstoni)

• Conservation status: Endangered.
• Estimated population: 2,900-3,600 mature individuals.
• Range and habitat: Endemic to Miyake-jima, Mikura-jima, and Hachijo-jima in Japan’s Izu Islands; forested areas, gardens, and parks.
• Threats: Habitat loss, introduced predators, invasive species, development, volcanic disturbance.

Owston’s tit is the rarest known species of tit and is confined to just three islands in the southern Izu archipelago of Japan: Miyake-jima, Mikura-jima, and Hachijo-jima. These island populations are estimated to total between 2,900 and 3,600 mature individuals, with each island supporting fewer than 1,600 birds.

The species inhabits broadleaf forest, urban parks, and occasionally large gardens, with a maximum area of occupancy under 35 square kilometers. Although relatively adaptable within this range, recent studies show an 11% reduction in suitable habitat over the past 12 years, suggesting a continuing, if moderate, population decline.

The primary threat to the species is habitat degradation, especially the replacement of native forest with commercial timber plantations and the expansion of roads and tourist infrastructure. Volcanic activity also poses episodic risk; the 2000 eruption of Mount Oyama degraded over half of Miyake-jima’s forests, although populations recovered relatively quickly.

Introduced predators such as Siberian weasels and feral cats, along with inflated populations of large-billed crows (Corvus macrorhynchos) due to poor waste management, present additional concerns. While direct evidence of predation remains limited, these pressures are likely contributing to ongoing declines.

Conservation efforts include national park protection and habitat designations, but more targeted predator control, habitat restoration, and waste management improvements are needed to safeguard the species’ future.

Pulitzer’s longbill (Macrosphenus pulitzeri)

• Conservation status: Endangered.
• Estimated population: 1,000-2,500 mature individuals.
• Range and habitat: Endemic to western Angola; central escarpment forests, especially around Kumbira.
• Threats: Rapid habitat clearance for agriculture, fire, fragmentation, post-war development.

Pulitzer’s longbill is a little-known Angolan endemic restricted to forest patches along the country’s central escarpment. Historically thought to range continuously between Kumbira and Chongoroi, it is now known mainly from the Kumbira Forest area, with few recent records elsewhere. Surveys in 2005 identified at least seven pairs in Kumbira, but none were found just five years later despite longer and more intensive effort. The species likely numbers between 1,000 and 2,500 mature individuals, though fragmentation may now be more pronounced than previously assumed.

It inhabits dry evergreen forest, vine tangles, secondary growth, and abandoned coffee plantations between 800 and 1,030 meters, often foraging near ground level. Although considered tolerant of some habitat degradation, recent observations suggest a stronger reliance on older-growth forest and dense undergrowth than previously believed. Widespread clearance of understorey vegetation for slash-and-burn agriculture and the intensification of subsistence farming have driven declines across its range. While a protected area at Chongoroi was proposed decades ago, no formal conservation zones have yet been established, and ongoing habitat loss remains a critical concern.

White-throated grasswren (Amytornis woodwardi)

• Conservation status: Endangered.
• Estimated population: Approximately 1,100 mature individuals.
• Range and habitat: Northern Territory, Australia; Arnhem Land escarpment and plateau, especially Kakadu and Warddeken.
• Threats: Large-scale fires, habitat fragmentation, climate change, potential predation by invasive species.

Endemic to Australia’s Northern Territory, the white-throated grasswren is now restricted to the rugged stone country of Arnhem Land, with its known range spanning eastern Kakadu, the Warddeken Indigenous Protected Area, and possibly extending into Djelk IPA. Once considered more widespread, recent surveys and fire history assessments indicate a drastic decline. Population estimates now suggest only around 1,100 mature individuals remain, fragmented into more than ten subpopulations, none exceeding 100 individuals, due to the increasing impact of fire and habitat isolation.

This cryptic species is highly specialized, depending on long-unburnt mature spinifex (coastal plants) for nesting and foraging, typically within a 10-hectare territory. Despite its rocky habitat offering some protection, frequent and intense fires, now worsened by climate change, have decimated many suitable patches.

Although revitalized Indigenous fire management in Warddeken and strategic burning efforts in Kakadu are showing promise, the overall decline continues. Further threats include possible predation by feral cats and black rats, though their impact remains unquantified. Comprehensive surveys and habitat-specific fire regimes are urgently needed to secure the future of this elusive grasswren.

White-winged nightjar (Eleothreptus candicans)

• Conservation status: Vulnerable.
• Estimated population: 600-1,700 mature individuals.
• Range and habitat: Disjunct sites in Bolivia, Brazil, and Paraguay; dry savanna and open cerrado grasslands.
• Threats: Habitat loss due to agriculture, grazing, invasive grasses, and fire mismanagement.

The white-winged nightjar is one of the rarest nightjars in the world, currently known from just five isolated localities in central South America. Once thought to be extremely elusive, this species has been confirmed in northern Bolivia, central and southeastern Brazil, and eastern Paraguay.

The largest known subpopulation resides in Paraguay’s Mbaracayu Forest Nature Reserve, with others at Laguna Blanca, Emas National Park, and near Uberaba in Brazil, and in Beni, Bolivia. Population estimates range from 600 to 1,700 mature individuals, although new discoveries, such as the Uberaba population, suggest that future surveys may reveal higher numbers than currently known.

Despite existing within protected areas like Emas and Mbaracayu, the white-winged nightjar is suspected to be declining due to severe habitat degradation throughout the cerrado biome. Over two-thirds of the region has been heavily impacted by agriculture, with key threats including conversion to soy and eucalyptus plantations, overgrazing, invasive grasses, and inappropriate fire regimes that disrupt breeding and alter habitat structure.

The species favors short, patchy vegetation with termite mounds and palms, and avoids dense grasslands or closed forest. While it is relatively well protected locally, its long-term survival will depend on broader habitat management, especially fire control and the protection of remaining open cerrado.

Madagascar jacana (Actophilornis albinucha)

• Conservation status: Endangered.
• Estimated population: 780-1,643 mature individuals.
• Range and habitat: Endemic to freshwater wetlands of western and northern Madagascar.
• Threats: Wetland destruction, rice cultivation, siltation, hunting, and limited habitat protection.

The Madagascar jacana is the rarest member of the jacana family, restricted to scattered wetland habitats in western and northern Madagascar. While once described as locally common, recent surveys suggest that it is becoming increasingly scarce even in seemingly suitable environments. The species has been detected at fewer than half of the 54 surveyed lakes, and the estimated global population, spread across a single genetic subpopulation, is between 975 and 2,064 individuals, including an estimated 780 to 1,643 mature birds.

Most jacanas are observed singly or in pairs, with only rare instances of larger aggregations. The species favors shallow lakes, marshes, and slow-flowing rivers rich in floating vegetation, where it feeds on aquatic invertebrates and plant seeds. Nesting occurs on floating vegetation, though reproductive ecology remains poorly documented.

Habitat degradation is the primary threat to the species, particularly the widespread conversion of wetlands to rice paddies and the impacts of siltation, drainage, and overuse of water resources. Though the species can occur in disturbed wetlands such as flooded rice fields, its long-term persistence in these environments is doubtful without nearby natural habitat. Additional pressures include hunting and insufficient protection of wetland ecosystems – habitats that are poorly represented in Madagascar’s protected area network.

Despite its vulnerability, the Madagascar jacana currently receives no targeted conservation attention. Its survival depends on improving wetland management, expanding habitat protection, and establishing long-term population monitoring to better understand trends and support conservation planning.

Galapagos penguin (Spheniscus mendiculus)

• Conservation status: Endangered.
• Estimated population: 1,200-4,000 individuals.
• Range and habitat: Western Galapagos Islands, Ecuador; coastal breeding sites and inshore marine waters.
• Threats: Climate change and ENSO events, introduced predators, disease, fishing nets, habitat degradation, tourism pressure.

The Galapagos penguin is the rarest penguin species in the world and the only one found north of the equator. Endemic to the Galapagos Islands, it breeds primarily on Isabela and Fernandina, with smaller numbers on Floreana and Santiago. The species has experienced dramatic population swings driven by El Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) events, with reductions of 60-77% recorded in past decades. The population is estimated at 1,200 to 4,000 individuals, with severe fluctuations linked to marine conditions.

Despite being protected within the Galapagos National Park and Marine Reserve, the species faces an overlapping set of threats. Climate change is increasing the frequency and severity of El Nino events, which devastate food supplies and skew sex ratios. Introduced predators such as cats and rats predate adults and eggs and may transmit diseases like toxoplasmosis and avian malaria. Entanglement in fishing nets, oil spills, and habitat disturbance from tourism add further pressure.

Conservation actions have included predator control, construction of artificial nest sites, and proposed no-take zones in key breeding areas. Long-term monitoring, improved fisheries regulation, and further disease research are critical to the survival of this unique species.

Gurney’s pitta (Hydrornis gurneyi)

• Conservation status: Critically Endangered.
• Estimated population: 1,000-2,500 mature individuals.
• Range and habitat: Southern Tanintharyi (Myanmar), flat, lowland semi-evergreen forest, often near gullies, with dense understorey and year-round moisture.
• Threats: Deforestation, agricultural expansion, plantation development, habitat fragmentation, illegal trapping, weak legal protection.

Gurney’s pitta was once common in peninsular Thailand but is now functionally extinct there. Following its rediscovery in Myanmar in 2003, it was recorded at over 100 sites and initially estimated to number more than 10,000 mature individuals. However, since 1999, over 80% of the intact lowland forest within its range has been lost.

Surveys conducted between 2016 and 2020 confirm that suitable habitat has continued to decline and now totals just over 600 square kilometers, much of it highly fragmented. The current global population is estimated at no more than 2,500 mature individuals, with rapid further decline anticipated.

The species occupies lowland forests with gentle slopes and a moist, shaded understorey, often containing Salacca palms in which it nests. Habitat clearance for palm oil, rubber, and other crops continues to drive declines in the Tanintharyi region. Protection status remains inadequate: recent political changes have jeopardized plans to designate key forest blocks as national parks. In Thailand, trapping for the cage-bird trade and increased nest predation due to fragmentation have also contributed to collapse.

Conservation efforts in Myanmar focus on securing habitat and engaging plantation owners, but without legal enforcement and landscape-scale protection, the species faces imminent further loss.

Palila (Loxioides bailleui)

• Conservation status: Critically Endangered.
• Estimated population: 800-1,200 mature individuals.
• Range and habitat: Endemic to Mauna Kea, Hawaii; dry subalpine mamane forest.
• Threats: Prolonged drought, habitat degradation, feral ungulates, invasive plants, fire, predation, and climate change.

Once widespread in Hawaii, the palila now survives only on the southwestern slope of Mauna Kea, where over 95% of the population is confined to 4,600 hectares of dry mamane and naio forest. Fossil evidence suggests the species formerly occurred throughout the archipelago, but it is now restricted to a single subalpine region. Population surveys have documented a dramatic long-term decline, from an estimated 4,000-6,800 birds between 1998 and 2005 to just 545 individuals in 2022.

The most recent point estimates suggest a modest rebound, with 596 birds in 2023 and 666 in 2024, yet these figures still represent a decline of over 90% since 1998. On average, the population has lost over 200 individuals per year, and models show strong statistical evidence for a continued downward trend.

The palila depends almost exclusively on the mamane tree, feeding on its immature seeds, flowers, and associated insects. It is uniquely adapted to extract seeds from pods using its strong bill and feet. Reproduction is slow, with low egg-laying rates and long nestling periods. Droughts directly reduce seed production, impairing breeding success and adult survival. Feral sheep and goats heavily browse the subalpine forest, hindering regeneration, while feral cats, rats, and mongooses prey on eggs and fledglings. Wildfires, exacerbated by invasive grasses like fountain grass, pose a major threat, especially since the entire population is found in a single, fire-prone area. Climate change adds further pressure by increasing drought frequency and raising the elevation range of disease-carrying mosquitoes, which may one day reach palila habitat and introduce avian malaria.

Extensive conservation efforts are ongoing, including predator control, ungulate fencing, forest restoration, translocation trials, and a captive breeding program. However, challenges remain severe. Continued management, habitat protection, and research are critical to prevent the extinction of this rare Hawaiian honeycreeper.

Slender-billed vulture (Gyps tenuirostris)

• Conservation status: Critically Endangered.
• Estimated population: 730-870 mature individuals.
• Range and habitat: Northern and eastern India, Nepal, Bangladesh, and remnant populations in Cambodia and Myanmar; dry open country, lowland forests, and remote nesting trees.
• Threats: Diclofenac poisoning, collapse of wild ungulate populations, food scarcity, tree felling, poisoning, and weak drug regulation enforcement.

Once widespread across the Indian subcontinent and parts of Southeast Asia, the slender-billed vulture has suffered one of the most catastrophic population declines ever recorded for a bird species. From the mid-1990s onward, its numbers plummeted by more than 97%, with current global estimates at 730-870 mature individuals. In India alone, the population fell by over 16% annually in the early 2000s, and similar declines were reported in Nepal.

While the species is now extremely rare in most of its former range, small breeding populations persist in India, Nepal, Cambodia, and Myanmar.

The principal driver of this collapse has been the ingestion of livestock carcasses contaminated with the veterinary drug diclofenac, which causes lethal renal failure in vultures. Despite bans on diclofenac use in veterinary medicine across multiple countries, the drug remains accessible through human formulations and enforcement remains inconsistent. Even low contamination rates in carcasses are sufficient to maintain high vulture mortality.

Other threats include the loss of nesting trees, reduced availability of carrion due to changes in livestock practices, and accidental poisoning. In Cambodia, additional challenges include shrinking wild ungulate populations and timber extraction.

Conservation responses include captive breeding programs, the creation of Vulture Safe Zones, and the promotion of vulture-safe drugs like meloxicam. Though some regions report partial stabilization, the species remains on the brink of extinction, and long-term recovery hinges on strict drug control, sustained public outreach, and continued investment in captive populations and release planning.

Norfolk robin (Petroica multicolor)

• Conservation status: Endangered.
• Estimated population: Approximately 750 mature individuals.
• Range and habitat: Endemic to Norfolk Island, Australia; primarily in native hardwood forest within the Norfolk Island National Park and adjacent areas.
• Threats: Nest predation by rats, invasive species, habitat degradation, climate change.

The Norfolk robin is a small Australasian forest songbird now restricted to a fraction of its former range on Norfolk Island. Once widespread, it is currently confined mainly to the Norfolk Island National Park and surrounding forest remnants. Population estimates suggest a slow but steady decline, from over 1,000 mature individuals in the 1980s to around 750 in 2018.

The species prefers native forest with an open ground layer and dense understorey, foraging for invertebrates in deep leaf litter. Although it is occasionally seen in other parts of the island, these individuals are likely non-breeding wanderers and do not contribute to the viable population.

The primary threat to the Norfolk robin is nest predation by introduced black rats, which were responsible for up to 75% of monitored nest failures in recent studies. Rats forage both on the ground and in trees, limiting the effectiveness of baiting programs that target only ground-level activity. Other invasive species such as feral cats and guava trees exacerbate these pressures by increasing predation and sustaining high rodent densities through seasonal fruiting.

Although habitat clearance has ceased, forest degradation, reduced invertebrate availability, and climate-induced drying trends continue to threaten long-term viability. Conservation efforts have focused on rat control, habitat restoration, and guava removal, but further innovation is needed to reduce arboreal rat predation and explore potential population reinforcement or reintroduction options.

Chatham Islands shag (Leucocarbo onslowi)

• Conservation status: Critically Endangered.
• Estimated population: Approximately 714 mature individuals.
• Range and habitat: Endemic to the Chatham Islands, New Zealand; breeds on coastal cliffs and offshore islets.
• Threats: Habitat disturbance, invasive predators, livestock trampling, climate change, fisheries bycatch.

The Chatham Islands shag is the rarest member of the cormorant and shag family, confined to a few scattered colonies across the Chatham Archipelago in New Zealand. Its total population is estimated at around 714 mature individuals, with major breeding sites on predator-free islets such as the Star Keys, and smaller colonies on Chatham, Pitt, and Rabbit Islands.

Once estimated at over 800 pairs in the 1990s, the breeding population has declined by more than 50% over two decades. Nesting occurs in dense colonies on cliff ledges and exposed rocks, while foraging takes place over coastal waters, often within 24 kilometers of shore. The species is highly localized, with a total breeding area estimated at less than one hectare.

This extreme range restriction makes the Chatham shag highly vulnerable to a variety of threats. Introduced predators such as feral cats, weka (Gallirallus australis), and possums pose a risk to colonies on the main islands, while livestock and human disturbance can lead to nest abandonment and egg loss. Competition from invasive New Zealand fur seals has displaced shags from traditional nesting sites. Although mortality from lobster pots has declined with improved practices, potential gill-net bycatch remains unquantified. Climate change and sea-level rise also threaten low-lying colonies with erosion and inundation.

Despite multiple surveys, no species-specific conservation program is currently in place. Priority actions include fencing vulnerable colonies, conducting regular censuses, and launching education and predator control initiatives to protect this globally unique seabird.

Hooded grebe (Podiceps gallardoi)

• Conservation status: Critically Endangered.
• Estimated population: 650-800 mature individuals.
• Range and habitat: Breeds on high Andean plateaus in southern Santa Cruz, Argentina; winters at Atlantic estuaries; prefers basaltic lakes with aquatic vegetation in arid Patagonian steppes.
• Threats: American mink predation, introduced trout, climate change, habitat degradation, extreme weather, human disturbance.

Once numbering 3,000-5,000 individuals in the 1980s, the hooded grebe has undergone a severe population crash due to multiple pressures across its limited range. Breeding is restricted to remote basaltic lakes on three plateaus – Buenos Aires, Strobel, and La Siberia in southern Argentina, where colony counts have shown an overall 73-80% decline over three generations.

Surveys since 2013 have consistently estimated 650-800 mature individuals, with the population now believed to be stable due to coordinated conservation actions. The species migrates to wintering sites at coastal estuaries, especially the Santa Cruz-Chico estuary, which hosts nearly the entire population in August.

The species remains highly vulnerable to a wide range of threats. Introduced American mink pose a critical danger, preying on adults, chicks, and nests, and sometimes wiping out entire colonies through surplus killing. Introduced trout compete for food and alter lake ecology, while climate change exacerbates droughts and increases extreme wind events that can destroy colonies. Additional threats include predation by kelp gulls (Larus dominicanus) and steamer ducks (Tachyeres), grazing-induced habitat degradation, oil and mining activities, and potential disruption from planned hydroelectric dams.

Conservation efforts have included mink control, trout removal, legal protection, colony monitoring, public outreach, and the establishment of Patagonia National Park. While some actions, such as the Colony Guardian program, have proven effective, the long-term survival of the species depends on maintaining and expanding these efforts.

Northern bald ibis (Geronticus eremita)

• Conservation status: Endangered.
• Estimated population: Fewer than 600 mature individuals in the wild.
• Range and habitat: Breeds along the Atlantic coast of Morocco; reintroduced populations exist in Spain, Turkey, and Central Europe.
• Threats: Habitat disturbance, predation, starvation, illegal hunting, electrocution, and climate-related stress on breeding and wintering grounds.

One of the most strange-looking birds alive today, the northern bald ibis is also among the world’s rarest – a striking emblem of conservation recovery efforts. Once ranging widely across North Africa, the Middle East, and Europe, it now survives as a largely sedentary population confined to Morocco’s Atlantic coast, with breeding colonies centered in Souss-Massa National Park and Tamri.

By the mid-1990s, numbers in Morocco had plummeted to fewer than 60 breeding pairs. Thanks to decades of focused management and site protection, the population gradually rebounded, with 116 pairs recorded in 2015 and nearly 600 individuals at the end of that breeding season. Although small, the population is currently stable and breeding success in recent years has reached historic highs.

Elsewhere, the species’ status is far more precarious. The Syrian population, rediscovered in 2002, dwindled to a single bird by 2014 and has since disappeared. Reintroduced and semi-managed colonies in Turkey, Spain, Austria, and Germany remain small and dependent on human support, with threats such as eagle owl predation, poaching, and electrocution limiting long-term viability. The migratory Central European population, led by the Waldrappteam, has made significant progress and may be approaching self-sustainability, though it remains vulnerable to human-related mortality along the flyway.

Despite varying conditions across its range, the species continues to face an array of serious threats. Illegal hunting in Italy and the Arabian Peninsula, predation by ravens and raptors, and electrocution on power infrastructure have all been documented as major causes of death. In Morocco, disturbance near breeding cliffs, development pressure, and changes in traditional farming practices threaten both nesting and foraging habitats. On wintering grounds in Ethiopia, pasture loss and rainfall shortages compound the challenges.

Conservation programs have expanded considerably, ranging from captive breeding and satellite tracking to ecotourism and habitat restoration, but sustained investment and international cooperation remain essential to secure the future of this long-lived, highly social bird.

Yellow-shouldered blackbird (Agelaius xanthomus)

• Conservation status: Endangered.
• Estimated population: 420-850 mature individuals.
• Range and habitat: Endemic to Puerto Rico, Mona Island, and Monito; coastal mangroves, pastures, offshore cays, and cliffs.
• Threats: Cowbird parasitism, nest predation, habitat loss, hurricanes, invasive species, and low genetic diversity.

The yellow-shouldered blackbird is one of the most endangered icterids in the Caribbean, with a fragmented population limited to southwestern, southern, and eastern Puerto Rico and the nearby islands of Mona and Monito. Once widespread across Puerto Rico, it now persists mainly in the Cabo Rojo-Lajas region, with additional, much smaller populations in Salinas, Ceiba, and Mona Island.

The overall number of mature individuals is estimated between 420 and 850, with dramatic year-to-year fluctuations in the southwest alone – from fewer than 400 birds to over 1,000. While post-breeding counts vary widely, the overall population trend appears stable, albeit vulnerable. Despite severe habitat damage from Hurricane Maria in 2017, key strongholds like Cabo Rojo showed population resilience due to remaining suitable habitat.

Historically, the species suffered from near-total reproductive failure due to brood parasitism by shiny cowbirds (Molothrus bonariensis). Intensive management, including cowbird control and artificial nest deployment, has since reduced parasitism rates drastically in monitored areas. However, unmanaged sites still experience high parasitism and predation from invasive mongooses, native thrashers, and even mites. Human activities such as coastal development, tourism, and boating continue to degrade feeding and nesting areas, while increased access to garbage and livestock feed disrupts natural foraging.

With low genetic diversity and no gene flow between island and mainland populations, the species remains at risk from both demographic and environmental pressures. Ongoing conservation relies on nest protection, habitat restoration, and sustained cowbird management to maintain viability across its fragmented range.

Storm’s stork (Ciconia stormi)

• Conservation status: Endangered.
• Estimated population: 300-1,750 mature individuals.
• Range and habitat: Lowland swamp and peat forests of Sumatra, Borneo, and Peninsular Malaysia.
• Threats: Large-scale deforestation, plantation expansion, forest fires, habitat fragmentation.

Storm’s stork is the rarest stork in the world and one of the least known. Endemic to the Greater Sundas, it survives today at very low densities in fragmented remnants of swamp and lowland forest across Sumatra, Borneo, and Peninsular Malaysia. It is considered effectively extinct in Thailand, and extremely scarce elsewhere, with only scattered recent records from a few national parks and reserves.

Despite the lack of a comprehensive population census, the total number of mature individuals is thought to fall between 300 and 1,750, with the majority likely in Borneo’s peat swamp forests. Historical declines have been steep, and sightings remain rare across much of its range. It nests exclusively in primary forest and is most often observed alone or in small groups near rivers and wetlands, including degraded or recently logged areas that are used non-breeding habitat.

The principal threat to Storm’s stork is habitat loss. Vast tracts of swamp forest have been cleared to make way for oil palm, rubber, and timber plantations, particularly in Sumatra and Kalimantan. Peatland drainage and fires, especially in El Nino years, further compound this destruction, threatening even protected areas.

While some storks are seen in disturbed forest, breeding has only been confirmed in intact primary forest, underscoring the species’ ecological sensitivity. Recent modeling indicates that only around 11% of suitable habitat is currently protected, and deforestation continues across key strongholds. Although not heavily hunted, the species’ rarity, solitary nature, and reliance on specific nesting habitat make it highly vulnerable to extinction. Without targeted conservation, including habitat preservation and improved protection in known sites, its future remains in jeopardy.

Raso lark (Alauda razae)

• Conservation status: Critically Endangered.
• Estimated population: 250-1,000 mature individuals.
• Range and habitat: Raso Island, Cabo Verde; recently introduced to Santa Luzia; open volcanic plains and vegetated streambeds.
• Threats: Drought, climate change, nest predation by geckos, risk of invasive species, skewed sex ratio, habitat fragility.

The Raso lark is an island-endemic passerine confined to the 7 square kilometers uninhabited islet of Raso in the Cabo Verde archipelago. It once ranged more widely across the archipelago, but now survives only in suitable habitats on the southern and western parts of Raso. The population fluctuates dramatically with rainfall, ranging from fewer than 100 to over 1,500 individuals depending on seasonal conditions. During dry periods, breeding may cease entirely, and the sex ratio can become heavily skewed toward males, reducing the effective population size.

A conservation milestone was reached in 2018-2019 with the translocation of 70 individuals to Santa Luzia, where a small population now persists and shows signs of natural recruitment.

The species nests on the ground and is acutely vulnerable to introduced predators such as rats and cats, which could devastate the population if accidentally introduced. Although Raso remains mammal-free, evidence of past cat and dog presence underscores the risk posed by tourism and fishing activities. Nest predation by the native gecko also depresses breeding success in some years. Climate change presents a long-term existential threat, with increasing drought and rising sea levels likely to reduce breeding opportunities and shrink available habitat.

Conservation measures include annual population monitoring, strict legal protection, biosecurity enforcement, and ongoing restoration on Santa Luzia. Continued prevention of predator introductions and climate-adaptive management will be essential for this species’ persistence.

Galapagos martin (Progne modesta)

• Conservation status: Endangered.
• Estimated population: 250-1,000 mature individuals.
• Range and habitat: Endemic to the Galapagos Islands, Ecuador; inhabits forest edges, highland peaks, cliffs, and mangroves.
• Threats: Philornis parasitism, introduced predators, climate-driven food scarcity, and low population resilience.

The Galapagos martin is one of the world’s rarest swallows and remains one of the least-studied birds in the Galapagos Archipelago. Once considered uncommon, the species has likely declined over the past two centuries and is now believed to number fewer than 1,000 individuals (perhaps far fewer) with no subpopulation thought to contain more than 250 mature birds.

Although historically recorded across multiple central and southern islands, including Isabela, Santa Cruz, Santiago, Fernandina, San Cristobal, Floreana, Daphne Major, and several smaller islets, most recent sightings involve only small groups or solitary birds, particularly near the highlands of Isabela. A 2017 coordinated survey across 14 islands and 23 islets recorded just 31 individuals, and no more than 50 have ever been seen at a single site.

Despite its long-term presence in the archipelago, little is known about the species’ biology or the reasons for its apparent decline. The invasive parasitic fly Philornis downsi has recently been documented in nests, raising concern about chick survival. Other likely threats include predation by introduced mammals, food shortages linked to climate variation, and the bird’s limited capacity to recover from disturbance due to its small population.

With no targeted conservation programs in place and no regular monitoring, the Galapagos martin could be at risk of vanishing silently. Urgent fieldwork is needed to establish its current status, clarify key threats, and safeguard the few nesting areas that remain.

Whooping crane (Grus americana)

• Conservation status: Endangered.
• Estimated population: 850-1,000 individuals.
• Range and habitat: Breeds in Wood Buffalo National Park (Canada), winters at Aransas NWR (Texas, USA); reintroduced populations in Wisconsin, Florida, and Louisiana.
• Threats: Power line collisions, drought, habitat loss, illegal shooting, climate change, disease, poor reproductive success.

The whooping crane is the rarest crane species in the world, reduced to just 15 wild individuals by 1938. Since then, a slow but steady recovery has taken place, anchored by the single natural migratory population that breeds in northern Canada and winters along the Texas Gulf Coast. This Aransas-Wood Buffalo flock has grown to over 500 individuals as of the late 2010s, supported by decades of research, protection, and captive breeding.

Reintroduction efforts in Florida (non-migratory), the eastern U.S. (migratory), and Louisiana (non-migratory) have met with mixed success. Despite some failures and setbacks, the total number of whooping cranes in the wild now exceeds 700 birds, though fewer than 250 are considered mature in the core self-sustaining group. Including all reintroduced populations and individuals in captivity, the global population is estimated at around 900 individuals, with figures ranging between 760 and 920 in recent years.

The species remains at risk from numerous modern threats. Power line collisions are the leading cause of juvenile mortality, and expanding energy infrastructure may further increase danger along the migration route. Drought, especially in Texas, can decimate key food sources like blue crabs, resulting in winter starvation events. Other concerns include illegal shootings, habitat development near Aransas, and genetic limitations from a historic bottleneck. Many reintroduced birds fail to breed or raise chicks due to nest abandonment, infertile eggs, or predation.

Conservation efforts range from habitat acquisition and power line marking to novel techniques such as costume-rearing, surrogate nesting, and direct autumn releases. Though still dependent on human support, the species’ slow rebound marks one of North America’s most iconic wildlife recoveries.

Red-vented cockatoo (Cacatua haematuropygia)

• Conservation status: Critically Endangered.
• Estimated population: 430-750 mature individuals.
• Range and habitat: Endemic to the Philippines; survives mainly on Palawan and nearby islands in lowland forest, mangroves, and coastal farmland.
• Threats: Habitat loss, nest poaching, illegal trapping, drought, persecution as crop pest, and disturbance.

Once widespread across the Philippine archipelago, the red-vented cockatoo – the world’s rarest cockatoo and one of the most endangered parrots globally – has suffered one of the steepest population crashes of any parrot species, with an estimated decline of over 80% in the past 40 years. Now confined mostly to Palawan and a few satellite islands, it has vanished from many former strongholds such as Mindoro, Samar, and Siargao.

The largest known group (on Rasa Island) has rebounded from just 23 birds in 1998 to over 300 through intensive conservation. Satellite populations on Pandanan and Dumaran islands have also stabilized, but total numbers remain perilously low, and the species persists in only a fragment of its original habitat. A 2023 habitat suitability model revealed that less than 1.2% of the country now offers optimal conditions for the species.

Despite local recoveries, the cockatoo remains highly threatened. Nest poaching, habitat conversion, and illegal logging continue even inside managed sites. Its reliance on mangroves and lowland forests makes it vulnerable to typhoons and El Nino-induced droughts, which have led to catastrophic breeding failures.

Conservation efforts led by the Katala Foundation include nest protection, habitat restoration, environmental education, and reintroduction planning. Rescued individuals are being released to reinforce aging subpopulations, but without sustained protection, effective law enforcement, and local support, the red-vented cockatoo’s hard-won gains could quickly be reversed.

Jankowski’s bunting (Emberiza jankowskii)

• Conservation status: Endangered.
• Estimated population: 350-1,500 individuals.
• Range and habitat: Northeastern China and North Korea; former range in Russia.
• Threats: Habitat conversion, overgrazing, disturbance, nest predation.

Jankowski’s bunting is one of the rarest Old World buntings, with a global population likely numbering fewer than 1,500 individuals, and possibly under 500 pairs. Once more widespread across northeastern China, North Korea, and the Russian Far East, the species has vanished from most of its former range. Recent breeding records come from just a handful of sites in Jilin and Inner Mongolia, where isolated pockets persist in semi-humid grasslands with scattered scrub.

Former strongholds such as Xianghai and Huichin have seen rapid population collapses or total disappearance, with some colonies shrinking to single digits within a decade. Despite occasional new sightings, the population trend remains sharply downward.

The species breeds from late April through July in transitional grassland zones between forest and steppe, nesting low in vegetation. Reproduction is often hampered by habitat degradation, overgrazing, and human disturbance. Fragmented populations face threats from predators such as snakes, rats, and Amur falcons (Falco amurensis), as well as indirect pressures from rural activities like fruit harvesting and livestock grazing.

In protected areas like Tumuji, inappropriate land management has left little viable habitat. Without urgent conservation action, including habitat restoration and better protection of breeding grounds, Jankowski’s bunting risks further declines that could soon warrant a reclassification to Critically Endangered.

Millerbird (Acrocephalus familiaris)

• Conservation status: Endangered.
• Estimated population: 350-1,500 individuals.
• Range and habitat: Nihoa and Laysan Islands, Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, U.S.A.; dense native shrub and grass vegetation near ground level.
• Threats: Climate-driven drought, hurricanes, invasive species, low genetic diversity, habitat degradation, disease risk.

The Millerbird is a cryptic reed-warbler endemic to the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, now restricted to two remote islands: Nihoa and Laysan. Once extinct on Laysan due to introduced rabbits and livestock, the species was reintroduced there in 2011-2012 with 50 individuals from Nihoa. As of the mid-2010s, the Nihoa population fluctuated between roughly 460 and 900 birds, while the Laysan population grew to at least 164 individuals. Together, the two subpopulations total between 350 and 1,500 individuals, though numbers on Nihoa have always varied widely.

Despite the apparent stability in recent years, the Millerbird remains highly vulnerable due to its extremely restricted range and genetic bottlenecks. Its survival is jeopardized by hurricanes, prolonged droughts, and invasive species such as rats, ants, and grasshoppers. Population crashes have coincided with vegetation loss during grasshopper outbreaks, and future sea level rise may inundate parts of Laysan’s nesting habitat. The closure of the year-round monitoring camp on Laysan has also hampered long-term data collection.

Ongoing conservation actions include biosecurity enforcement, habitat restoration, and periodic population monitoring. Further translocations to predator-free islands, as well as studies on the species’ resilience to climate change and ecological shifts, are critical for ensuring its long-term survival.

Araripe manakin (Chiroxiphia bokermanni)

• Conservation status: Critically Endangered.
• Estimated population: 150-700 mature individuals.
• Range and habitat: Endemic to the Chapada do Araripe, Ceará, Brazil; humid forest edges, gallery forest near springs and streams.
• Threats: Habitat loss, recreational development, forest fires, water resource degradation.

The Araripe manakin is one of Brazil’s most range-restricted birds, known only from a small area on the northeastern slopes of the Chapada do Araripe in Ceara. Since its discovery in 1996 and formal description in 1998, intensive fieldwork has led to a population estimate of 770-800 individuals, corresponding to 150-700 mature individuals.

It occurs in a narrow band of moist forest along springs and watercourses, with breeding concentrated in a core area of about 10 square kilometers. While previously believed to depend heavily on vegetation overhanging streams, recent records from denser forest suggest it may occupy a slightly broader ecological niche than once assumed.

Habitat loss remains the primary threat, driven by agricultural expansion, recreational development, and the diversion of springs. Much of the surrounding lowlands have been cleared for crops, cattle, and housing, and fires have repeatedly destroyed key breeding areas. Water parks and deforestation near springs further erode the humid gallery forest that the species relies on.

However, conservation efforts by the NGO Aquasis, in partnership with the American Bird Conservancy, have resulted in the creation and expansion of the Oasis Araripe Reserve and adjacent protected areas. Reforestation initiatives, community outreach, and fire control efforts are ongoing. While habitat remains fragmented and threatened, ongoing conservation measures provide a foundation for future recovery, provided that protection of springs and humid forest corridors is expanded and sustained.

California condor (Gymnogyps californianus)

• Conservation status: Critically Endangered.
• Estimated population: 566 individuals as of 2025.
• Range and habitat: California, Arizona, Utah, and Baja California, in rugged mountains and coastal cliffs.
• Threats: Lead poisoning, microtrash ingestion, collisions, disease.

Once widespread across North America, the California condor was driven to the brink of extinction by habitat destruction, poaching, and lead poisoning. By 1987, only 27 individuals remained, all of which were taken into captivity in a last-ditch effort to save the species.

Thanks to a long-running and highly coordinated recovery program, the population has slowly increased. By 2025, there were 566 California condors, including 369 living in the wild across select regions of the U.S. and Mexico. Though no longer extinct in the wild, the condor remains one of the rarest birds in North America, and its recovery depends entirely on intensive human intervention.

Lead poisoning from bullet fragments remains the leading cause of death, undermining progress made through reintroduction. Chicks often suffer from ingesting microtrash, and collisions with power lines are a persistent threat. Disease outbreaks, especially avian influenza, have introduced new risks in recent years.

Conservationists continue to manage these challenges through captive breeding, supplemental feeding, public policy initiatives like ammunition bans, and meticulous monitoring. While wild-born condors have begun to appear, the population is still far from self-sustaining, and its future hinges on sustained support and habitat protection.

Goldie’s bird-of-paradise (Paradisaea decora)

• Conservation status: Vulnerable.
• Estimated population: Approximately 450 mature individuals.
• Range and habitat: Endemic to Fergusson and Normanby Islands in Papua New Guinea; mid-elevation forests, forest edges, and secondary regrowth.
• Threats: Logging, agricultural expansion, mineral exploration, forest degradation.

Goldie’s bird-of-paradise is a striking forest-dwelling species found only on Fergusson and Normanby Islands in the D’Entrecasteaux archipelago of Papua New Guinea. Its total population is estimated at around 450 mature individuals, with roughly 350 on Fergusson and 100 on Normanby. Although historically described as fairly common, recent surveys suggest a 20% decline between 1997 and 2007.

The species inhabits forest from 300 to at least 750 meters elevation, and while it can tolerate selectively logged areas and regrowth after subsistence farming, it disappears from heavily degraded sites. This limited ecological flexibility, combined with a fragmented distribution across two islands, makes the species particularly vulnerable to land-use change.

The principal threats to Goldie’s bird-of-paradise are habitat loss and degradation caused by commercial logging, subsistence agriculture, and mineral exploration. Logging resumed in the East Fergusson Timber Rights Purchase Areas in 2014, and both gold and nickel exploration are underway near key habitats on Normanby and Fergusson respectively. In some areas, traditional forest has been cleared for new gardens, eliminating suitable habitat.

Although the species shows some resilience by recolonizing long-regrown forest, the accelerating pace of habitat conversion may exceed its capacity to adapt. Continued monitoring, community engagement, and protective land agreements are essential to safeguarding remaining forest tracts and ensuring the species’ persistence.

Spoon-billed sandpiper (Calidris pygmaea)

• Conservation status: Critically Endangered.
• Estimated population: 240-620 mature individuals.
• Range and habitat: Breeds in northeastern Russia; migrates along the East Asian Flyway to wintering grounds in coastal Bangladesh, Myanmar, and southern China.
• Threats: Habitat loss across the flyway, hunting and trapping, coastal development, invasive plant species, climate change, low recruitment, and nest predation.

The spoon-billed sandpiper is one of the most distinctive and threatened shorebirds on the planet. It breeds in the coastal tundra of the Chukotski Peninsula and Kamchatka, then follows a long migratory path through East Asia to a handful of wintering sites in southern China, Myanmar, and Bangladesh.

From estimated numbers in the thousands during the 1970s, the global population has now dropped to somewhere between 240 and 620 mature individuals, with recent trends suggesting it may already be under 250. Southern China has become increasingly important as a wintering region, especially Rudong, which also serves as the only known moulting site. Although the rate of decline has slowed to around 8% annually (down from 26% per year in the early 2000s) it remains severe.

Across its migratory range, the species faces relentless pressure from habitat loss and degradation. Large areas of tidal mudflats have been reclaimed for industrial, agricultural, and urban development, particularly in China and South Korea. Invasive cordgrass has made key stopover and wintering habitats unsuitable, and monofilament trapping nets continue to catch the birds unintentionally. Hunting is still reported in Bangladesh, Myanmar, and Vietnam, affecting both adult and juvenile survival. In the breeding range, nest predation by dogs and skuas, combined with increasing shrub encroachment from climate-driven habitat change, further depresses reproductive success.

Conservation efforts over the past two decades have been intense and diverse. These include annual population monitoring, legal protections, headstarting programs to boost chick survival, habitat purchases, and broad awareness campaigns across the flyway. A small captive breeding population is also maintained in the UK. Some wintering sites have recently been designated as Ramsar or World Heritage Sites, and China has issued a national moratorium on tidal flat reclamation.

These actions appear to have helped slow the decline, but have not yet reversed it; the population remains critically low, geographically scattered, and vulnerable to setbacks. Sustained and expanded efforts will be essential if the species is to persist through the coming decades

Okarito kiwi (Apteryx rowi)

• Conservation status: Vulnerable.
• Estimated population: 350-400 mature individuals.
• Range and habitat: Coastal podocarp-hardwood forests of South Westland, New Zealand; reintroduced to predator-free islands and new mainland sites.
• Threats: Predation by stoats, habitat loss, very low reproductive rate.

The Okarito kiwi, or rowi, is the rarest of New Zealand’s five kiwi species and a striking example of conservation success in progress. Once reduced to just over 150 birds in the mid-1990s and confined to the Okarito Forest on South Island’s West Coast, the population has since grown to around 500-600 adults (with an estimated 350-400 breeding individuals) thanks to intensive management.

Despite the increase, it remains highly range-restricted, with only one natural population and a few translocated groups now breeding on predator-free islands like Mana and Blumine, and newly established sites near Franz Josef (Waiau). Rowi are nocturnal, flightless insectivores, foraging slowly through leaf litter and rotting logs for earthworms and insect larvae. Their low reproductive output (usually a single egg per season) makes each individual vital for long-term recovery.

The species’ precarious position was primarily due to predation by introduced mammals, particularly stoats, which decimated chicks and juveniles. Early attempts at trapping proved insufficient, leading to the launch of Operation Nest Egg, a program that removes eggs from the wild, hatches and rears chicks in captivity, and returns them once they are large enough to defend themselves. This initiative has significantly increased chick survival, raising annual recruitment from just two wild-bred adults to nearly 50 birds in some years.

Conservation efforts also include habitat protection, community engagement, use of smart transmitters for egg tracking, and collaborative work with local Maori groups. While the rowi’s long-term future still requires active support, its steady climb from the brink of extinction makes it a hopeful emblem for kiwi conservation.

Ridgway’s hawk (Buteo ridgwayi)

• Conservation status: Critically Endangered.
• Estimated population: 300-350 mature individuals.
• Range and habitat: Dominican Republic (Los Haitises National Park, Punta Cana, Aniana Vargas NP); newly rediscovered population on Les Cayemites, Haiti.
• Threats: Habitat loss, nest disturbance, persecution, electrocution, Philornis parasitism, climate vulnerability due to population concentration.

Ridgway’s hawk is one of the rarest hawk species in the world, once widespread across Hispaniola but now confined to a handful of sites in the Dominican Republic, with a newly rediscovered remnant population on Haiti’s Les Cayemites islands. By the early 2000s, the entire species was restricted to Los Haitises National Park, where intensive management reversed steep declines. As of 2019, at least 142 breeding pairs were recorded in Los Haitises.

To reduce the extinction risk posed by a single-site population, conservationists initiated reintroductions at Punta Cana (2009-2017), where over 127 hawks were released. As of 2023, this new population included 28 pairs and over 130 wild-fledged young, including second- and third-generation birds. A third release site, Aniana Vargas National Park, was established in 2019 in the central highlands.

Despite these gains, the species remains highly vulnerable. Nest failures are frequently caused by human persecution, disturbance, or the destruction of nest trees during agricultural clearing. Philornis fly infestations are a major cause of nestling mortality, with some years seeing parasitism in nearly all monitored nests. Habitat fragmentation, electrocution, and inbreeding pose additional threats.

Conservation success has hinged on a multifaceted approach: intensive nest treatment, power pole retrofitting, environmental education, and direct community engagement. With three functioning populations now established, Ridgway’s hawk recovery is a rare success story in Caribbean raptor conservation, but its future still depends on long-term protection, sustained outreach, and the careful management of small, geographically isolated populations.

Great Nicobar serpent eagle (Spilornis klossi)

• Conservation status: Endangered.
• Estimated population: 150-370 mature individuals.
• Range and habitat: Southern Nicobar Islands, India; tropical evergreen forest under 1,000 km² in total area.
• Threats: Habitat loss, forest degradation, ecological competition, limited protected-area enforcement.

The Great Nicobar serpent eagle is one of the world’s rarest raptors, restricted to the remote islands of Great Nicobar, Little Nicobar, and a few nearby islets. Endemic to less than 1,000 square kilometers of lowland evergreen forest, the species is seldom seen and poorly known. Density modeling and recent surveys estimate the population at just 150 to 370 mature individuals, with some sources suggesting it may be closer to the lower end.

Compared to its relatives, this eagle appears particularly scarce, likely making it the rarest eagle species globally alongside the Madagascar fish eagle (Icthyophaga vociferoides). It is usually observed in the canopy layer of dense forest, with little indication that it occurs outside undisturbed areas.

Habitat loss poses the most pressing threat. Although forest loss within its known range was moderate between 2000 and 2020, small-scale clearing for agriculture, settlement, and future tourism development may intensify degradation. Its apparent preference for intact forest raises concerns that ongoing fragmentation will reduce suitable habitat even further. While other serpent eagles in the region adapt to secondary growth, S. klossi may be more sensitive to disturbance. The presence of the more common and adaptable crested serpent eagle (Spilornis cheela) may also limit its niche through competition.

No focused conservation actions are currently in place, although the species occurs within the boundaries of the Great Nicobar Biosphere Reserve. Improved monitoring, stricter land-use regulation, and ecological studies are urgently needed to prevent further decline.

Masafuera rayadito (Aphrastura masafuerae)

• Conservation status: Critically Endangered.
• Estimated population: 140-500 individuals.
• Range and habitat: Endemic to Alejandro Selkirk Island (Chile); high-elevation tree-fern and canelo forest.
• Threats: Habitat degradation, invasive predators, non-native plants, and potential nesting site limitation.

The Masafuera rayadito is one of the rarest forest birds in South America, found only on remote Alejandro Selkirk Island in the Juan Fernandez Archipelago. This secretive insectivore inhabits high-elevation fern forests, typically above 800 meters. While past surveys suggested a dramatic decline from around 500 birds in the 1980s to as few as 140 in the early 2000s, more recent estimates using refined methods indicate the population may have remained stable or rebounded slightly, with a likely range of 140-500 individuals.

The rayadito’s survival is tightly linked to the health of its highland forest habitat, which remains under pressure from introduced goats (historically), invasive plants, and fire. Feral cats and rats likely reduce breeding success, while habitat degradation restricts foraging and nesting opportunities. Nesting occurs in natural and artificial cavities, including steep rock faces and specially installed nest boxes, with breeding recorded from November to February.

Conservation efforts have included goat removal, invasive plant control, and the installation of rodent-resistant nest boxes, some of which have successfully supported breeding. While the species appears stable within its limited range, its dependence on intact forest and vulnerability to invasive species make it highly susceptible to stochastic events. Targeted habitat restoration, predator control, and long-term monitoring are essential to secure its future.

Antioquia brushfinch (Atlapetes blancae)

• Conservation status: Critically Endangered.
• Estimated population: Approximately 405 individuals.
• Range and habitat: Endemic to the Altiplano de Santa Rosa de Osos in Antioquia, Colombia; fragmented montane shrubland and forest edges.
• Threats: Habitat loss, deforestation, agricultural expansion, genetic isolation.

The Antioquia brushfinch is a little-known Colombian endemic that was presumed extinct for decades, known only from three specimens collected in 1971. It was dramatically rediscovered in 2018 near San Pedro de los Milagros, with subsequent fieldwork identifying seven occupied sites across the region.

A 2024 mark-resighting study provided the first direct population estimate, suggesting a total of up to 405 individuals. However, the number of mature individuals remains significantly lower, likely under 250, and the species is restricted to less than 350 hectares of fragmented habitat. It occurs primarily in dense shrubland and forest edges and has shown some use of disturbed areas, including rural gardens.

Habitat conversion for cattle grazing and agriculture remains the primary driver of population decline, with over 70% of vegetation in core areas already lost. The remaining habitat is patchy and unprotected, increasing vulnerability to local extinctions and genetic bottlenecks. While some individuals occur within broader conservation landscapes such as the Guanacas Reserve, there are currently no species-specific protection measures in place.

Ongoing research is improving knowledge of its demography, vocalizations, and habitat use, but conservation action is urgently needed. Priorities include habitat protection, restoration of degraded areas, long-term population monitoring, and possibly establishing ex-situ programs to secure the species’ future.

Trinidad piping guan (Pipile pipile)

• Conservation status: Critically Endangered.
• Estimated population: 150-330 mature individuals.
• Range and habitat: Endemic to the Northern Range of Trinidad, in montane rainforests.
• Threats: Illegal hunting, habitat loss from logging and agriculture, weak law enforcement.

Once widespread across Trinidad, the Trinidad piping guan, locally known as the pawi, has vanished from most of its former range and is now restricted to the eastern portion of the island’s Northern Range.

Following major declines due to overhunting and deforestation, the global population fell to as few as 77 individuals in the 2000s. However, recent conservation measures, particularly in forest reserves and areas like Matura National Park, have contributed to a slow but hopeful recovery. The population is now cautiously estimated at 150-330 mature individuals, and sightings in formerly unrecorded areas suggest a possible range expansion.

Despite its past vulnerability, this canopy-dwelling bird shows resilience when two key conditions are met: reduced hunting pressure and preservation of large canopy trees. While the species tolerates some human presence and can adapt to agroforestry landscapes, enforcement of hunting bans remains inconsistent. Local ecotourism initiatives and education campaigns have helped shift public attitudes, but illegal hunting still occurs in some areas. Continued habitat protection, ecological research, and community engagement will be essential to secure the future of this uniquely Trinidadian species.

Seychelles scops owl (Otus insularis)

• Conservation status: Critically Endangered.
• Estimated population: 200-280 mature individuals.
• Range and habitat: Endemic to Mahe, Seychelles; confined to upland forest habitats within a 31 sq km area.
• Threats: Habitat loss, invasive predators, nest-site scarcity, fungal disease, and vulnerability to climate events.

Endemic to the misty upland forests of Mahe, the Seychelles scops owl is one of the world’s rarest owls, known only from a single island in the Indian Ocean. Confined to humid forest patches above 100 meters, its estimated 200-280 mature individuals are scattered across approximately 125-140 territories. The population has likely remained relatively stable for several decades, with most suitable habitat currently occupied. However, reports of recent local disappearances near residential areas and the lack of recent comprehensive surveys suggest a slow, unquantified decline.

The owl’s survival is tightly linked to the stability of its limited forest habitat. Ongoing threats include development at the forest margins, forestry activity, and habitat degradation from invasive plant species like cinnamon. Nesting is also hampered by the loss of key cavity-bearing trees such as Pterocarpus indicus, which has suffered extensive dieback from fungal disease. Invasive predators such as black rats, feral cats, and barn owls may prey on eggs and adults, while the aggressive common myna (Acridotheres tristis) may compete for nest sites. With the entire population restricted to one island, the species is highly vulnerable to extreme weather events and stochastic risks.

Although much of its range falls within the Morne Seychellois National Park and legal protections are in place, ongoing conservation actions, including habitat management, predator control, and nest-site preservation, will be essential to prevent this uniquely insular owl from vanishing.

Socorro mockingbird (Mimus graysoni)

• Conservation status: Critically Endangered.
• Estimated population: 190-280 mature individuals.
• Range and habitat: Endemic to Socorro Island, Mexico.
• Threats: Feral cats, habitat degradation, locust swarms, past grazing, infrastructure development.

Formerly among the most widespread landbirds on Socorro Island, the Socorro mockingbird has suffered a dramatic population collapse since the mid-20th century. Once abundant in 1925 and still common in 1958, the species fell into steep decline by the 1970s. Surveys in the 1990s estimated around 350 individuals, and more recent visits to key sites suggest a comparable number remains today. The population is thought to include between 190 and 280 mature individuals, largely confined to the remaining undisturbed dwarf forest zones around Mount Evermann.

The Socorro mockingbird inhabits moist montane forest and ravines between 300 and 950 meters elevation, with a preference for areas where native trees and understorey shrubs remain intact. It feeds on insects, fruits, and small prey, and nests mainly from November through July. The species shows high reproductive output, with a majority of the population consisting of subadults, which may aid recovery if habitat conditions improve.

Despite the complete eradication of feral sheep by 2012 and ongoing cat removal efforts, the mockingbird has not recolonized its former range in degraded parts of the island. Locust swarms, now permanent and destructive, pose an additional and increasing threat by stripping native fruiting trees of foliage and reproductive structures. Dispersing juveniles and solitary males occasionally enter these areas but fail to establish viable breeding territories. Cat predation, particularly in degraded habitats, and the risk of habitat loss from proposed infrastructure projects remain ongoing concerns.

Kakapo (Strigops habroptilus)

• Conservation status: Critically Endangered.
• Estimated population: 242 individuals as of 2025.
• Range and habitat: Confined to three predator-free offshore islands in New Zealand – Codfish, Anchor, and Little Barrier.
• Threats: Historical habitat loss, predation by introduced mammals, low fertility, inbreeding, and dependence on irregular food masting events.

The kakapo is one of the world’s rarest and most intensively managed birds – a flightless, nocturnal parrot that once ranged widely across New Zealand’s three main islands. Following centuries of decline due to habitat destruction and predation by introduced mammals, the global population dropped below 50 individuals by the 1990s.

Today, thanks to sustained conservation investment, the population has climbed to 242 individuals. Every kakapo is tagged and monitored year-round, with breeding closely managed. The species remains extinct in its natural range, but translocations, nest protection, and advanced husbandry have enabled a slow but steady recovery.

Despite high adult survival rates and frequent hands-on management, reproductive challenges continue to limit the species’ growth. As with many long-lived birds, kakapo breed infrequently and invest heavily in each offspring, with nesting occurring only in years of abundant fruiting and many eggs remaining infertile due to inbreeding and low genetic diversity.

Conservationists have responded with innovative solutions, including artificial insemination, genome sequencing of the entire population, and AI-assisted nest monitoring. Still wholly conservation-dependent, it now serves as a global model for species recovery, with efforts underway to improve genetic viability and explore eventual reintroduction to the New Zealand mainland.

Brazilian merganser (Mergus octosetaceus)

• Conservation status: Critically Endangered.
• Estimated population: 150-250 mature individuals.
• Range and habitat: Isolated stretches of fast-flowing rivers in Brazil; formerly in Argentina and Paraguay.
• Threats: Hydroelectric dams, agriculture, mining, pollution, habitat loss, tourism.

The Brazilian merganser is among the rarest ducks in the world and one of the most habitat-specialized, surviving today only in scattered, isolated pockets of central Brazil. Its core population persists in the Serra da Canastra region of Minas Gerais, with smaller groups in Jalapao (Tocantins) and Chapada dos Veadeiros (Goias).

Historical populations in Argentina and Paraguay have largely disappeared, and many previously occupied rivers in Brazil have gone silent. The global estimate remains precariously low, between 150 and 250 mature birds, mostly inhabiting 8-14 kilometer stretches of undisturbed rivers with rocky rapids and clear, shallow water.

The species is highly sensitive to disturbance. Its stronghold rivers are under pressure from dam construction, agricultural expansion, and diamond mining, all of which degrade water quality and fragment breeding territories. Although some birds tolerate unforested stretches, riparian destruction and pollution continue to pose major threats.

Conservation efforts include strict habitat protection, local education, and targeted research on the species’ ecology and breeding. A small but growing captive breeding program began in Brazil in 2011 and reached a milestone in 2025 when Prague Zoo successfully hatched five ducklings – an international achievement that underscores the urgency and promise of coordinated conservation work.

Malagasy harrier (Circus macrosceles)

• Conservation status: Endangered.
• Estimated population: 100-250 mature individuals.
• Range and habitat: Madagascar and the Comoro Islands; marshes, wetlands, rice paddies, grasslands, and dry open areas.
• Threats: Habitat loss, fires during breeding season, wetland conversion, human persecution, egg collection, disturbance at nest sites.

The Malagasy harrier is one of the rarest harriers in the world, with fewer than 250 mature individuals remaining across Madagascar and the Comoro Islands. Once more widespread, it now survives in scattered, low-density populations, particularly in key areas such as Bealanana and Ankazobe in Madagascar.

Surveys between 2005 and 2006 covering over 70% of suitable habitat located just 80 individuals on Madagascar. Populations on the Comoros, where natural habitats are nearly destroyed, are estimated at fewer than 50 mature birds. The species nests in marshes and wetlands, hunts around the edges of vegetation-fringed lakes and rice fields, and breeds during the dry season.

Despite occurring in several protected areas, the Malagasy harrier continues to decline due to severe pressure on its breeding habitat. Annual fires, often set deliberately to clear land or stimulate new growth, regularly destroy nests during the critical incubation period. Over 80% of Madagascar’s marshlands have been converted to rice paddies, especially in human-dense regions. Nestlings and adults are also taken for food, and the species is persecuted for its perceived threat to poultry. Human disturbance in breeding areas further reduces nesting success.

Conservation efforts have so far focused on research and monitoring, but marshes and grasslands receive far less protection than forest habitats. Priority actions include reducing fire frequency during the breeding season, strengthening community awareness, and formally protecting key wetland breeding sites.

Javan blue-banded kingfisher (Alcedo euryzona)

• Conservation status: Critically Endangered.
• Estimated population: Fewer than 250 mature individuals.
• Range and habitat: Endemic to Java, Indonesia; rocky streams and forested rivers in lowland and lower montane evergreen forest.
• Threats: Habitat loss and degradation along rivers, forest clearance, disturbance from agriculture and logging.

The Javan blue-banded kingfisher is among the world’s rarest kingfishers, known only from scattered sites across Java. After long periods without confirmed sightings, the species has been rediscovered in several localities since 2000, including Gunung Halimun-Salak National Park and Petungkriyono forest, as well as isolated records from Gunung Liman and Puncak Simpe.

Despite a wider range than previously assumed, its population remains extremely small and fragmented, with estimates suggesting fewer than 250 mature individuals. All known records are from intact, undisturbed riverine forests, indicating a strong dependence on pristine habitat and extremely low tolerance for disturbance.

The species is threatened by the ongoing degradation of Java’s riparian forests, largely due to small-scale agriculture, logging, and timber extraction. Even though overall forest loss on Java has slowed in recent decades, riverside habitats continue to be cleared or disturbed. No current population stronghold likely supports more than 20-60 individuals, and most recent sightings lie outside protected areas.

Conservation action is urgently needed, including systematic surveys to locate additional populations, habitat protection along known rivers, and long-term monitoring to detect population trends. Without targeted efforts, this shy and elusive kingfisher may quietly disappear from Java’s rapidly changing forest landscapes.

Crow honeyeater (Gymnomyza aubryana)

• Conservation status: Critically Endangered.
• Estimated population: Fewer than 250 mature individuals
• Range and habitat: Endemic to New Caledonia, found in scattered subpopulations mainly in the south and on Mount Panie in the north.
• Threats: Habitat degradation from fire, invasive predators, mining, and low reproductive rate.

The crow honeyeater is a large, secretive honeyeater and one of the rarest members of its family. Endemic to New Caledonia, it was once thought to occur widely across the island’s rainforest but is now largely restricted to isolated patches in the Massif du Sud and around Mount Panie. Population estimates have steadily declined over time – from speculative figures of 1,000-3,000 individuals to fewer than 250 mature birds today.

The best estimates suggest a maximum of 315-700 breeding pairs, based on a 1 square kilometer territory per pair and habitat suitability modelling. However, field studies in key sites such as Riviere Bleue have shown significantly lower densities, reinforcing the likelihood that the true population is much smaller. Two distinct subpopulations are now recognized, separated by over 250 kilometers.

This species inhabits mid- to high-elevation humid forests on ultramafic soils, especially in areas with high rainfall and continuous canopy cover. The crow honeyeater’s reproduction is notably slow: it raises a single chick per season, with fledging taking nearly four weeks and prolonged parental care extending up to 2.5 months. Nests are poorly camouflaged, exposing them to high predation risk from invasive mammals like rats and possibly cats, as well as native predators.

Major threats include degradation and fragmentation of forest habitat from anthropogenic fires, mining, and invasive species, along with low reproductive output. Conservation efforts have included rat control, surveys, and ecological studies, but more intensive and landscape-wide actions are needed to stabilize this unique island endemic.

Chatham Islands oystercatcher (Haematopus chathamensis)

• Conservation status: Endangered.
• Estimated population: 228 mature individuals.
• Range and habitat: Endemic to the Chatham Islands, New Zealand; primarily found on Chatham Island, with smaller numbers on Pitt, South East, and Mangere Islands
• Threats: Introduced predators, livestock trampling, flooding, habitat degradation, human disturbance, low genetic diversity.

The Chatham Islands oystercatcher is a highly range-restricted shorebird found only on New Zealand’s Chatham Islands, where it nests along rocky and sandy coasts and occasionally forages in inland paddocks. The species underwent a dramatic recovery from a low of around 110 birds in the late 1980s to over 300 individuals by the mid-2000s, thanks to intensive conservation.

As of 2019, the estimated number of mature individuals stands at 228, with around 85% of the population residing on Chatham Island. While the overall population is considered stable, numbers on predator-free Rangatira Island have declined for unknown reasons.

Ongoing threats include predation by feral cats and native birds like weka (Gallirallus australis), nest trampling by livestock, and tidal inundation of nests placed too close to the shoreline – often due to the encroachment of introduced marram grass. Human disturbance and historic over-collection have also played a role in the species’ precarious state.

Conservation efforts have focused on predator control, fencing, nest relocation, dune restoration, and public awareness, with notable success in raising productivity at core breeding sites. However, reduced management intensity since 2005 has led to declines in chick output, and future stability will require renewed investment in monitoring, habitat protection, and adaptive management techniques.

Great Indian bustard (Ardeotis nigriceps)

• Conservation status: Critically Endangered.
• Estimated population: Fewer than 200 mature individuals.
• Range and habitat: Arid and semi-arid grasslands of India and possibly Pakistan; primarily Rajasthan, with scattered remnants in Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh.
• Threats: Habitat loss, infrastructure collisions, predation, overgrazing, poaching, afforestation, and disturbance.

The great Indian bustard is one of the world’s heaviest flying birds and one of the most imperiled. Once widespread across the Indian subcontinent’s dry grasslands, its population has crashed by over 80% in the last five decades. Fewer than 200 mature individuals are thought to survive, most of them concentrated in the Thar Desert of Rajasthan. Small, fragmented populations persist in Gujarat, Maharashtra, and parts of southern India, but these are at high risk of local extinction.

The species relies on open, low-disturbance landscapes for nesting, foraging, and display. It prefers a mosaic of short and tall grass patches, low scrub, and fallow land, and shows seasonal movement patterns likely linked to food availability and breeding behavior.

The bustard’s decline has been driven by extensive loss and degradation of grassland habitat, primarily due to agricultural expansion, irrigation schemes, and infrastructure projects. Collisions with high-voltage power lines are now a leading cause of mortality. Ground-based threats include trampling of nests by livestock, egg predation by dogs and crows, and illegal hunting, which persists in some areas despite legal protections. Afforestation initiatives using non-native trees have further reduced suitable habitat.

In response, India has implemented a mix of in-situ and ex-situ conservation strategies, including habitat restoration, predator control, awareness campaigns, and a captive breeding program in Rajasthan. Measures such as burying power lines, designating core breeding zones, and supporting local livelihoods have shown promise, but progress has been uneven. Without immediate, large-scale coordination across states and sectors, the great Indian bustard faces extinction in the wild within a generation.

Asir magpie (Pica asirensis)

• Conservation status: Endangered.
• Estimated population: Fewer than 200 mature individuals.
• Range and habitat: Southwestern Saudi Arabia, confined to a narrow strip of montane juniper forest.
• Threats: Habitat loss, degradation, climate change, grazing, disturbance, possible genetic isolation.

Endemic to the Asir Mountains of southwest Saudi Arabia, the Asir magpie is a striking black-and-white corvid confined to a narrow, fragmented belt of upland juniper forest between 1,850 and 3,000 meters elevation. Once more widespread, it now persists in just 11 small forest patches spanning around 80 square kilometers of high-quality habitat.

Recent estimates suggest the population may number no more than 100 breeding pairs, roughly 200 mature individuals, making it one of the rarest magpie species in the world. The bird’s range has contracted to a 37-kilometer strip, where it remains sedentary and heavily reliant on intact forest with undergrowth and drainage systems.

The species faces a multifaceted threat landscape. Land clearance for development, road-building, and tourism has fragmented the forest, while overgrazing by feral donkeys and goats further degrades vegetation. Climate change is introducing hotter, drier conditions, limiting forest regeneration. The magpies are also known to scavenge food scraps left by humans, potentially reducing breeding success. Some individuals are illegally trapped or hunted.

Genetic isolation may be emerging as a new concern, with limited movement between patches possibly leading to inbreeding. Without urgent intervention, including habitat protection, population monitoring, and forest restoration, the species risks entering a long-term decline from which recovery may be difficult.

Masked finfoot (Heliopais personatus)

• Conservation status: Critically Endangered.
• Estimated population: 100-300 mature individuals.
• Range and habitat: Patchy distribution across South and Southeast Asia, with the largest numbers in the Sundarbans (Bangladesh); also recorded in Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, and possibly Malaysia and Sumatra.
• Threats: Habitat degradation, river traffic, gold mining, logging, oil spills, hunting, nest disturbance, climate change.

The masked finfoot is one of Asia’s most enigmatic and threatened waterbirds. Rarely seen and poorly understood, it was once more widespread across South and Southeast Asia but has disappeared from much of its former range. As of the most recent estimates, the total population likely numbers fewer than 300 mature individuals, with 80-160 birds in the Sundarbans of Bangladesh, the species’ presumed stronghold, and smaller, highly localized groups in Cambodia, Myanmar, Laos, and Vietnam. Sightings in Malaysia, Thailand, and Sumatra have become increasingly rare or absent in recent decades.

The decline of the masked finfoot is attributed primarily to the destruction and degradation of riverine habitats across its fragmented range. Logging, gold mining, dam construction, siltation, and agricultural expansion have stripped much of Southeast Asia’s lowland forests, while hydrological changes and climate impacts, such as saltwater intrusion in the Sundarbans, threaten nesting success. Though shy by nature, nesting birds can become remarkably tame and are especially vulnerable to human hunting and egg collection. One study found that over half of interviewed fishermen in Bangladesh had taken finfoots or their eggs. Entanglement in fishing nets is an additional threat.

Conservation efforts are ongoing in some protected areas, but monitoring remains sparse and awareness limited. Without a rapid expansion of surveys, site protection, and education, the masked finfoot risks slipping away unnoticed.

Okinawa woodpecker (Dendrocopos noguchii)

• Conservation status: Endangered.
• Estimated population: 100-300 mature individuals.
• Range and habitat: Endemic to Okinawa Island, Japan; subtropical evergreen broadleaf forest, especially old-growth stands.
• Threats: Habitat fragmentation, invasive mongoose, climate change, storm damage.

The Okinawa woodpecker is one of the world’s rarest woodpeckers, with an estimated 100-300 mature individuals surviving in the Yambaru Forest of northern Okinawa Island, Japan. It is confined to mature subtropical evergreen forest, nesting in large hollow trees and foraging primarily in old-growth stands.

Its habitat has become severely fragmented, largely restricted to hilltop forests with tall trees over 30 years old. By the early 20th century, population declines were already noted, driven by widespread deforestation and the introduction of the small Indian mongoose, which heavily predated on nests.

Recent conservation measures have stabilized the population. The establishment of Yambaru National Park in 2016 and its designation as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2021 have improved legal protection, while ongoing large-scale mongoose control has significantly reduced predation.

Surveys between 2007 and 2016 show an increase in detection rates and occupied sites, suggesting that the population is no longer declining. However, this stability depends on the continued success of invasive species management. The species remains vulnerable to future typhoons and climate-related threats, and temporary fluctuations in nesting success have been observed due to factors like pest outbreaks. Long-term survival will require sustained habitat protection, regular monitoring, and the full eradication of invasive predators.

Mauritius fody (Foudia rubra)

• Conservation status: Endangered.
• Estimated population: 320-420 mature individuals.
• Range and habitat: Endemic to Mauritius; found in native and degraded upland forest, non-native plantations, and coastal islets.
• Threats: Nest predation by invasive species, habitat degradation, failed translocations, competition with introduced fody.

Once widespread across upland Mauritius, the Mauritius fody has suffered extensive declines due to historic forest clearance and intense nest predation by invasive mammals. By 2001, the population had dropped to approximately 108-122 breeding pairs, restricted to just 15 square kilometers of fragmented habitat. Since the 1990s, numbers on the mainland have stabilized, and successful translocations to the offshore islet of Ile aux Aigrettes led to encouraging gains, with the island population reaching 180-200 individuals by 2014.

In 2011-2014, the estimated mainland population stood at 160-220 mature individuals, with the combined total across both sites bringing the global estimate to around 320-420 mature individuals. Despite this partial recovery, the species remains highly vulnerable due to its restricted distribution and ongoing threats.

The Mauritius fody occupies a range of forest types, including degraded native forest and exotic plantations of pine and Cryptomeria, which offer refuge from nest predators. It feeds primarily on insects, but also consumes fruit and nectar.

Predation by invasive species such as the black rat and crab-eating macaque remains the primary threat, often causing near-total breeding failure. Competition with the introduced red fody (Foudia madagascariensis) may also affect habitat use, although differing ecological needs may reduce direct overlap. The species has also vanished from seemingly intact areas, likely due to severe nest predation turning them into population sinks.

Conservation actions have included captive rearing, habitat management, and predator control. While the population on Ile aux Aigrettes has persisted, an attempted introduction to Round Island failed due to predation by native boas. Long-term survival will depend on continued management of nest predators, protection of native habitats, and the successful establishment of secure populations on additional offshore islets.

Mauritius kestrel (Falco punctatus)

• Conservation status: Endangered.
• Estimated population: 140-170 mature individuals.
• Range and habitat: Forested uplands of Mauritius, especially south and east.
• Threats: Habitat loss, invasive predators, introduced plants, low genetic diversity.

Once considered the rarest bird in the world, the Mauritius kestrel has made a remarkable journey from the brink of extinction. In 1974, only four wild individuals remained, all confined to a small pocket of forest in the Black River Gorge. Intensive recovery efforts led to a peak of up to 500 individuals by the late 1990s, and three breeding subpopulations persist today across fragmented forest tracts in southern and eastern Mauritius.

Despite this conservation success, recent trends are again worrying: the global population has declined to under 250 birds, with an estimated 140-170 mature individuals remaining. Its range is extremely limited, with an area of occupancy around 316 square kilometers and no evidence of interchange between subpopulations.

The species’ primary habitat, native subtropical evergreen forest, now covers less than 2% of the island and continues to be degraded by invasive plant species. While captive-bred individuals have shown some adaptability to degraded areas, these habitats often function as ecological sinks, offering lower prey density and exposing birds to increased predation and disease. Introduced predators such as black rats, macaques, mongooses, and feral cats pose a serious risk to both adults and young. Nesting success has also been compromised by a shortage of suitable cavities, competition with invasive birds, and poor genetic diversity resulting from the historic population bottleneck.

Although conservation measures like artificial nest boxes, predator control, and genetic research continue, the kestrel’s long-term future remains tied to sustained habitat management and possibly renewed genetic reinforcement efforts.

Black stilt (Himantopus novaezelandiae)

• Conservation status: Critically Endangered.
• Estimated population: 169 mature individuals as of 2023.
• Range and habitat: South Island, New Zealand; braided rivers, wetlands, lake deltas.
• Threats: Introduced predators, habitat loss, hybridisation, human disturbance.

The black stilt, or kaki, is one of the world’s rarest wading birds, once widespread across both islands of New Zealand but now restricted to the upper Waitaki Valley in the South Island. After crashing to just 23 individuals in 1981, the species has been pulled back from the brink through one of the most intensive bird recovery programs in the country. Annual releases of captive-bred juveniles and subadults (between 80 and 100 birds each year) have been central to this effort.

By 2019-2021, adult numbers reached 170, and 2023 estimates suggest at least 169 adults remain in the wild. The number of productive breeding pairs rose from only four in 1999 to 41 by 2024, a milestone in ongoing recovery.

Introduced predators such as stoats, cats, and ferrets continue to pose the greatest threat, particularly during the nesting season. Hydroelectric development and land conversion for agriculture have altered key breeding sites and degraded wetland habitats. The species also suffered from hybridization with the more widespread pied stilt (Himantopus leucocephalus) during population lows, although this threat is now closely managed and nearly all wild individuals are genetically pure.

Conservation efforts focus on predator trapping, egg collection and captive rearing, reintroductions, and habitat restoration. Despite these gains, the black stilt’s long-term survival remains dependent on continued and intensive

Chestnut-capped piha (Lipaugus weberi)

• Conservation status: Critically Endangered.
• Estimated population: 50-250 mature individuals.
• Range and habitat: Northern Central Andes, Colombia; pre-montane wet forest between 1,500-1,820 m.
• Threats: Habitat loss, forest fragmentation, mining, agriculture, climate change.

Discovered only in the early 2000s, the chestnut-capped piha is one of the newest bird species to science and one of the most threatened. It is endemic to a narrow zone on the northern slope of Colombia’s Central Andes, with its known range limited to around 800 square kilometers and population estimates falling below 250 individuals. Although once considered locally common in parts of Anori, ongoing forest degradation has likely caused sharp declines, with some local populations disappearing altogether.

The Central Andes have undergone near-total ecological transformation, with only small patches of suitable forest remaining. Deforestation for cattle, coffee, and mining, now facilitated by improved political stability and infrastructure, continues to erode the piha’s habitat. The species shows little tolerance for fragmented or disturbed areas and requires large, connected forest tracts to persist.

With pre-montane forest reduced to just 3-4% of its original extent and climate models predicting the loss of its climatically suitable zone by 2050, the chestnut-capped piha’s long-term survival is deeply uncertain despite localized reserves and conservation efforts.

Isabela oriole (Oriolus isabellae)

• Conservation status: Critically Endangered.
• Estimated population: 50-250 mature individuals.
• Range and habitat: Endemic to Luzon, Philippines; found in fragmented lowland and foothill forest, especially bamboo thickets.
• Threats: Extensive forest loss, habitat degradation, weak protection, possible competition with white-lored oriole.

Once feared extinct, the Isabela oriole is now recognized as one of the rarest birds in the Philippines and the most threatened member of the Old World oriole family. It is endemic to Luzon island, where recent surveys have located small, highly localized subpopulations – mainly in the municipalities of Baggao, Cagayan and San Mariano, Isabela.

Despite being relatively common in suitable habitat in the early 20th century, the species is now known to number only about 50 mature individuals across two main areas. The global population is estimated to fall within 50-250 mature birds, with a total count possibly between 70 and 400 individuals when including immatures. Its patchy distribution and extremely low numbers reflect decades of habitat loss and insufficient forest protection.

The main driver of the species’s decline is extensive lowland forest destruction across Luzon. Forest cover in the Sierra Madre has shrunk by over 80% since the 1930s, and little remains in former strongholds like Disulap. Although the Isabela oriole can tolerate secondary forest and has been observed in degraded bamboo-dominated habitats, its extremely limited range and low numbers suggest a high vulnerability to continued disturbance. Ongoing threats include illegal logging, agricultural encroachment, and weak enforcement even within protected areas like the Northern Sierra Madre Natural Park.

Conservation efforts since 2015 have improved local awareness, and plans are underway to declare a critical habitat in Baggao, but the species remains at grave risk unless habitat loss is halted and protection measures are strengthened.

Urrao antpitta (Grallaria urraoensis)

• Conservation status: Critically Endangered.
• Estimated population: 50-250 mature individuals.
• Range and habitat: Endemic to Paramo de Frontino, Western Andes of Colombia; montane oak forest and bamboo thickets.
• Threats: Habitat loss, deforestation for agriculture and timber, private land ownership, fire, potential mining.

The Urrao antpitta is one of the rarest and most recently described bird species in the world, formally identified only in 2010. It is confined to the eastern slopes of the Paramo del Sol massif in Colombia’s Western Andes, where it inhabits humid montane forest dominated by oak trees and dense Chusquea bamboo. Its known range is minuscule (possibly as little as 5.8 square kilometers) and the entire known population is restricted to the Colibri del Sol Bird Reserve and surrounding forest.

Although only 24 singing male territories have been directly observed, extrapolations suggest there may be between 57 and 156 such territories in total, corresponding to no more than 250 mature individuals. The species forages on insects, particularly beetles, and has also been seen consuming worms. It is understory-dwelling and elusive, showing a strong dependence on intact forest and specific habitat structure.

Its tiny population is threatened by ongoing deforestation driven by agriculture, pasture expansion, and timber extraction. Although forest cover remained relatively stable between 2000 and 2010, the risk of mining development has grown in recent years. A fire in 2010 destroyed over 100 hectares of nearby paramo.

With limited legal protection outside of the Colibri del Sol reserve and most land held in private hands, conservation of this enigmatic antpitta remains precarious and urgently dependent on habitat preservation, further surveys, and increased protected area coverage.

Sumatran ground cuckoo (Carpococcyx viridis)

• Conservation status: Critically Endangered.
• Estimated population: 50-250 mature individuals.
• Range and habitat: Foothill and lower montane forests of southern Sumatra, Indonesia.
• Threats: Deforestation, habitat degradation, accidental capture in snares.

The Sumatran ground cuckoo is the rarest known member of the cuckoo family and a striking example of how little we know about some of the planet’s most threatened birds. Long thought possibly extinct, it went unrecorded for over 80 years before a bird was captured and photographed in 1997 in Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park. Since then, a small number of sightings and camera-trap photos have confirmed its continued presence in a few remote forest sites in southern Sumatra. The total population is estimated at just 70 to 400 individuals, with as few as 50 to 250 considered mature.

A shy, ground-dwelling forager, the Sumatran ground cuckoo inhabits dense undergrowth in primary and lightly disturbed tropical forests from 800 to 1,000 meters in elevation. It appears to feed on small invertebrates, reptiles, and mammals. However, its elusive nature and remote range make it difficult to study.

Its survival is severely threatened by widespread deforestation for agriculture and timber, even within national parks. As a terrestrial bird, it is also at risk from ground snares set for other species like junglefowl. While protected areas exist within its range, more targeted conservation and research efforts are urgently needed to determine its distribution, monitor population trends, and secure what remains of its habitat.

Newton’s fiscal (Lanius newtoni)

• Conservation status: Critically Endangered.
• Estimated population: 50-250 mature individuals.
• Range and habitat: Endemic to Sao Tome (Sao Tome and Principe); native montane forest between 200-1,100 m.
• Threats: Habitat degradation, introduced predators, development pressures, and limited effective protection.

Newton’s fiscal is one of the world’s rarest shrikes and likely the rarest member of its family. Endemic to the island of Sao Tome, it was long feared extinct after no confirmed sightings for over 60 years until it was rediscovered in 1990. The species is now known from a small mountainous region in the island’s southwest and central ridgelines, occupying an estimated 117-153 square kilometers of mostly native forest. It prefers forested ridgetops, river corridors, and lightly canopied zones with little undergrowth and some open ground.

Although it can be locally frequent in suitable areas and is conspicuously vocal, the total population is estimated at just 50 to 250 mature individuals, all thought to belong to a single subpopulation and currently in decline.

This species depends on undisturbed forest and is highly sensitive to habitat changes. Past land clearance for cocoa and coffee created widespread secondary forest, which supports few or no individuals. Today, habitat loss continues due to agricultural expansion, timber extraction, and infrastructure development linked to population growth and offshore oil projects. Introduced predators such as black rats, feral cats, civets, and mona monkeys may also threaten nests or fledglings.

Although the species occurs within the bounds of Sao Tome’s Obo Natural Park and is legally protected, enforcement is limited, and conservation measures remain insufficient. Recent efforts include habitat mapping, local community involvement, and capacity-building programs. However, Newton’s fiscal remains in urgent need of ongoing monitoring, habitat protection, and research into its ecology and breeding biology.

Mariana crow (Corvus kubaryi)

• Conservation status: Critically Endangered.
• Estimated population: 50-250 mature individuals.
• Range and habitat: Endemic to Rota in the Northern Mariana Islands; formerly on Guam.
• Threats: Habitat loss, predation (especially by feral cats), potential snake invasion, storms.

Once widespread across the Mariana Islands, the Mariana crow has vanished from Guam and now persists only on the island of Rota. Surveys reveal a catastrophic population decline of over 80% in the past three decades, with recent counts indicating no more than 50 breeding pairs. This small forest crow, though relatively compact compared to its relatives, plays an important ecological role on the island.

Its disappearance from Guam is attributed to predation by the invasive brown tree snake, and while the species is still clinging to existence on Rota, even there it faces numerous threats. Among the most serious is high mortality in fledglings, driven largely by predation from feral cats. Habitat loss from storms and human development has also reduced available nesting areas, particularly primary and secondary limestone forest.

Conservationists have responded with predator control and captive-rearing programs. A turning point came in 2018 with the release of five captive-reared birds into the wild. Yet, models predict the species could still go extinct within 75 years unless intervention continues and expands. Efforts to prevent the brown tree snake from reaching Rota remain a top priority.

Taita apalis (Apalis fuscigularis)

• Conservation status: Critically Endangered.
• Estimated population: 50-150 mature individuals.
• Range and habitat: Forest fragments in the Taita Hills, southeastern Kenya.
• Threats: Habitat loss and degradation, fragmentation, potential climate change effects, nest predation, and uncertain hybridization risk.

Once widespread across the forests of the Taita Hills in southeastern Kenya, the Taita apalis is now one of Africa’s rarest birds, confined to a handful of small, isolated forest patches. Surveys since 2001 have documented a dramatic population decline (up to 80%) with the species now estimated at fewer than 200 individuals, likely under 130 mature birds.

Once present in forests such as Chawia, Fururu, and Mbololo, it now persists mainly in Ngangao, Vuria, and Msidunyi. This highland warbler inhabits the understorey of montane forests, especially edge zones rich in climbers, where it forages for insects, berries, and seeds. Despite being sensitive to habitat fragmentation, it has shown some tolerance to degraded vegetation and disturbance.

The primary driver of the species’ decline has been the near-total loss of original forest in the Taita Hills, due to agriculture, logging, and reforestation with exotic trees. Although deforestation rates have slowed thanks to conservation efforts, this has paradoxically led to a reduction in natural forest gaps – preferred nesting sites for the apalis due to lower predation. Additional threats include wildfires, prolonged droughts such as that in 2009, and a possible risk of hybridization with the bar-throated apalis (Apalis thoracica).

A number of targeted conservation actions are underway: habitat restoration, land leasing and protection, community engagement, and the creation of forest corridors. These efforts offer cautious hope, but the species remains at extreme risk of extinction without continued and expanded intervention.

Amsterdam albatross (Diomedea amsterdamensis)

• Conservation status: Endangered.
• Estimated population: Approximately 170 individuals.
• Range and habitat: Plateau des Tourbieres, Amsterdam Island (French Southern Territories).
• Threats: Infectious disease, bycatch in fisheries, climate change, invasive species.

The Amsterdam albatross is the rarest albatross in the world, confined to a single breeding site on the high plateau of Amsterdam Island in the remote southern Indian Ocean. The entire global population numbers around 170 individuals, with just 46 known breeding pairs.

This species once had a wider distribution on the island, but its range and numbers were reduced during the 20th century. Since monitoring began in the 1980s, the population has shown a modest increase, supported by exceptionally high adult and juvenile survival rates. Breeding is biennial and begins in February, with fledging nearly a year later. Despite the lack of direct observation of predation or widespread chick mortality in recent years, its isolated and restricted range makes the population highly vulnerable.

As with many long-lived seabirds, the Amsterdam albatross has a slow life cycle and delayed maturity, with individuals not breeding until at least nine years of age. It is also among the largest flying birds alive today, with a wingspan rivaling that of the snowy albatross (Diomedea exulans). This immense size supports efficient dynamic soaring over vast ocean distances – a trait reflected in its extensive non-breeding range, which stretches from the waters off South Africa to the southern coasts of Australia.

The species faces a complex suite of threats, including potential outbreaks of avian cholera and erysipelas, which have been detected in nearby seabird colonies. Additional risks include accidental capture in longline fisheries, climate-driven changes in disease dynamics, and past habitat degradation by livestock. Conservation measures have included fencing, reforestation, disease prevention protocols, and monitoring, but further action is needed to ensure the long-term survival of this iconic and imperiled seabird.

Bugun liocichla (Liocichla bugunorum)

• Conservation status: Critically Endangered.
• Estimated population: 25-250 mature individuals.
• Range and habitat: Endemic to Arunachal Pradesh, India; confined to 140 sq km in Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary and nearby areas.
• Threats: Habitat fragmentation, road development, logging, human disturbance.

The Bugun liocichla is one of the rarest and most recently described passerines in the world, formally identified in 2006 after years of elusive sightings. It is endemic to a narrow elevation band in Arunachal Pradesh, northeast India, where all confirmed records come from a small area around Lama and Bompu Camps in Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary.

Its population is believed to number just 25-250 mature individuals, a figure that reflects both its extreme rarity in surveys and its highly restricted known distribution, estimated at only 140 square kilometers. Despite some modeling suggesting it could occur more widely, including Bhutan, no confirmed records support this yet.

This striking bird inhabits shrubby hillsides, ravines, and disturbed forest edges between 2,000 and 2,700 meters. It shows an apparent preference for secondary growth, but paradoxically remains extremely localized. Most sightings involve no more than a few individuals, often seen in pairs or small flocks.

Although Eaglenest remains relatively well-protected, the species’ microhabitat was impacted by road construction in 2012-2013, and future infrastructure development poses a serious risk. Conservation efforts have included local community engagement, with initiatives to designate the area as a conservation reserve and promote the Bugun liocichla as a flagship species.

Blue-throated hillstar (Oreotrochilus cyanolaemus)

• Conservation status: Critically Endangered.
• Estimated population: 80-110 mature individuals.
• Range and habitat: Endemic to the paramo shrublands of El Oro and Loja provinces, southwestern Ecuador.
• Threats: Fire, grazing, pine plantations, drought, tourism, and mining activity.

The blue-throated hillstar is one of the world’s rarest hummingbirds, known only from a narrow strip of high-altitude terrain in the Chilla-Tioloma-Fierro Urco mountain complex of southern Ecuador. First described in 2018, the species occupies roughly 62.7 square kilometers of fragmented paramo habitat, with confirmed populations in Cerro de Arcos, Guanazan, and Fierro Urco, and a few sightings in adjacent areas. Recent surveys place the total number of mature individuals at just 80 to 110.

Although localized, the population appears relatively more abundant in the western and central parts of its range. Males tend to frequent shrubbier patches, while females are often observed in more open, grassy terrain. Nests are typically found in narrow rocky caves and cliff walls, though breeding success appears low.

This hummingbird is closely tied to high-elevation shrublands dominated by Chuquiraga jussieui, its primary nectar source, along with other native plants like Puya. Repeated burning for pasture creation, cattle grazing, and the establishment of non-native pine plantations have all degraded its habitat. Drought conditions limit the regrowth of essential vegetation, and tourism and off-road activity may disturb nesting sites. In some areas, competition with larger hummingbirds like the shining sunbeam (Aglaeactis cupripennis) and predation by Aplomado falcons (Falco femoralis) further pressure this small population. Parts of its range are overlapped by mining concessions.

Conservation actions are underway, including the creation of a dedicated reserve in Cerro de Arcos, habitat restoration, and ecological studies. Long-term survival will depend on connecting habitat strongholds and engaging local communities to reduce threats.

Magenta petrel (Pterodroma magentae)

• Conservation status: Critically Endangered.
• Estimated population: 80-100 mature individuals.
• Range and habitat: Endemic to south-west Chatham Island, New Zealand; nests inland under dense forest.
• Threats: Predation by introduced mammals, habitat degradation, climate-related flooding.

Once widespread and abundant, the Magenta petrel experienced a drastic decline over the past century and was presumed extinct for over 100 years until its rediscovery in 1978 in the dense forests of south-western Chatham Island.

By the mid-1990s, only a handful of breeding pairs were known, and fledging success remained extremely low. However, since the early 2000s, intensive conservation management, particularly predator control and translocation of chicks to the Sweetwater Secure Breeding Site, has enabled slow but measurable recovery. The population is now estimated at 150-200 individuals, including 80-100 mature birds, with some individuals returning to breed at the translocation site.

The species nests in burrows located 4-6 kilometers inland within dense forest. During the breeding season, birds forage primarily south of the Chatham Islands, but tracking studies reveal that non-breeders and post-breeding individuals disperse widely across the South Pacific, from the Tasman Sea to the west coast of South America.

Despite protection within the Tuku Nature Reserve and predator-proof sites, the petrel remains at risk from flooding events, introduced predators, and the skewed sex ratio among non-breeders, which may hinder pair formation. Sustained predator control, chick translocation, habitat fencing, and ongoing monitoring are crucial to the long-term survival of this highly endangered seabird.

Reunion cuckooshrike (Lalage newtoni)

• Conservation status: Critically Endangered.
• Estimated population: 60-70 mature individuals.
• Range and habitat: Endemic to Reunion (France); montane forest in the north-west.
• Threats: Predation by rats and cats, skewed sex ratio, habitat degradation, invasive species, and low reproductive success.

The Reunion cuckooshrike is a rare forest bird endemic to the mountainous north-west of Reunion Island, with its entire population likely under 70 mature individuals. It is restricted to a few localities within the Roche Ecrite massif and surrounding areas, and appears unable to recolonize former lowland habitats.

Surveys suggest the species once numbered over 100 pairs in the 1990s, but a sharp decline followed, driven in part by an increasingly male-biased population. As of 2013, only around 33 pairs remained, many of them unpaired males, leading to extremely low reproductive output. The species is dependent on closed-canopy native forests and feeds on insects and native fruits.

The population collapse is driven largely by introduced black rats and feral cats, which prey on nests and may disproportionately affect females. Invasive species such as the red-whiskered bulbul (Pycnonotus jocosus) may compete for food or nesting areas, while other threats include poaching, disease, habitat degradation by rusa deer, and disturbance from tourism.

Conservation efforts focus on predator control and habitat protection within the Roche Ecrite reserve, which holds most of the remaining population. Nest protection and rat removal have improved fledgling success locally, and ongoing management aims to stabilize the population and explore potential translocations. However, the species remains in a precarious position, vulnerable to environmental disturbance and climate change.

Tahiti monarch (Pomarea nigra)

• Conservation status: Critically Endangered.
• Estimated population: 25-100 mature individuals.
• Range and habitat: Restricted to 3-4 valleys in southwest Tahiti, French Polynesia.
• Threats: Invasive species (rats, bulbuls, mynas, ants), habitat degradation, low reproduction.

Once widespread across the island of Tahiti, French Polynesia, the Tahiti monarch is now confined to a few remote valleys in the island’s southwest. Its population remained critically low throughout the 20th century and declined further until conservation efforts began in the late 1990s. In 1998, only 19 individuals were known in accessible areas, with others surviving in more remote upper valleys.

Through persistent monitoring, invasive species control, and habitat protection, the population has grown from fewer than 40 individuals in 2009 to around 91 adults by 2019. Despite this increase, only a fraction of adults breed each year, and the bird occupies just 0.5 square kilometers of forest, making it one of the rarest flycatchers in the world.

The Tahiti monarch faces a complex mix of threats. Black rats caused historic declines and still pose a severe danger in the absence of constant control. Introduced birds such as the red-vented bulbul (Pycnonotus cafer) and common myna (Acridotheres tristis) compete aggressively and prey on nests, while the invasive little fire ant is expanding and may cause territory abandonment. Habitat degradation from invasive plants, goats, and extreme rainfall linked to climate change adds to the pressure.

Nonetheless, thanks to rat and bird control, habitat restoration, and local engagement, breeding success has improved. Conservationists now aim to establish a backup population on another island to reduce extinction risk.

Grand Comore drongo (Dicrurus fuscipennis)

• Conservation status: Endangered.
• Estimated population: Around 100 individuals.
• Range and habitat: Endemic to Mount Karthala, Grand Comore, Comoro Islands; forest edge, degraded plantations, and shrubby clearings.
• Threats: Habitat degradation, introduced predators, potential human disturbance.

The Grand Comore drongo is likely the rarest of all drongos, with a highly localized distribution restricted to the lower slopes of Mount Karthala on Grand Comore. Its population is extremely small – estimated at just over 100 individuals, with only about 70 mature birds, and shows a fluctuating but non-declining trend.

Most sightings come from the forest edge and degraded habitats between 500 and 1,000 meters elevation, although the bird has occasionally been recorded near sea level. It appears to tolerate a surprising degree of habitat disturbance and has been observed foraging in plantations and secondary growth, feeding on large insects and fruit, and nesting from September to December.

Despite this tolerance, the species remains extremely rare, and the causes behind its low numbers remain unclear. While it can persist in exotic vegetation, much of its optimal native habitat has already been lost to agriculture, invasive plant species, and logging. Potential future threats include infrastructure development and predation by introduced rats, mongooses, and civets.

Although a protected area on Mount Karthala has long been proposed, it has not yet been implemented, leaving the drongo’s future dependent on habitat protection, targeted surveys, and local conservation awareness.

Chinese crested tern (Thalasseus bernsteini)

• Conservation status: Critically Endangered.
• Estimated population: 30-50 mature individuals.
• Range and habitat: Coastal China and South Korea; breeds on offshore islets.
• Threats: Egg collection, typhoons, invasive predators, habitat loss, hybridization.

Once feared extinct, the Chinese crested tern is one of Asia’s rarest seabirds and among the rarest terns globally. It breeds in small numbers on offshore islands along the eastern coast of China and, more recently, on an islet in South Korea. Historical records suggest the species was more widespread, but decades of decline led to its rediscovery only in 2000, when a small breeding group was found in the Matsu Islands. Since then, breeding has also been confirmed on the Jiushan and Wuzhishan Archipelagos in Zhejiang, and on Tiedun Dao following restoration efforts.

The breeding population fluctuates yearly, with only 12 to 43 adults typically observed. All known colonies are closely associated with larger gatherings of greater crested terns (Thalasseus bergii), and the global population is thought to number fewer than 50 mature individuals.

Major threats include intensive egg collection, which has caused widespread nest failures and delayed renesting into the typhoon season, compounding chick mortality. Invasive species such as rats and keeled rat snakes pose additional risks to eggs and chicks. Other threats include habitat loss from coastal development, disturbance by tourism and fishing, red tide events linked to pollution, and possible genetic swamping through hybridization with T. bergii.

Conservation actions, such as strict protection of breeding sites, social attraction techniques, and community outreach, have enabled some colonies to stabilize or re-establish, but continued, multi-site efforts will be critical for the species’ survival.

Silvery pigeon (Columba argentina)

• Conservation status: Critically Endangered.
• Estimated population: Fewer than 50 mature individuals.
• Range and habitat: Offshore islands of western Sumatra (Indonesia), including Simeulue, Siberut, Nias, Batu Islands; mangroves and lowland coastal forests.
• Threats: Habitat loss, illegal trapping, misidentification, poaching for trade, predation by invasive species.

Once feared extinct, the silvery pigeon was rediscovered in 2008 and 2010 through confirmed sightings on Siberut and Simeulue islands, Indonesia, after more than 70 years without a verified record. These rediscoveries were followed by further sightings on other islands such as Nias and in trade markets, suggesting a fragmented but extant population across several island groups off western Sumatra. Despite this, the global population remains extremely small, and the species is now regarded as one of the rarest pigeons in the world, with cautious estimates suggesting fewer than 50 mature individuals remain.

Misidentification with the similar pied imperial pigeon (Ducula bicolor) has likely caused underreporting in the past, though the documentation of key differences now allows more reliable identification. The species may disperse seasonally in response to fruiting trees and was historically known to associate with other pigeon species in mixed flocks.

The silvery pigeon inhabits mangroves, coastal forests, and lowland evergreen habitats below 100 meters elevation, especially on small offshore islands. While many islands in its former range still retain significant forest cover, habitat destruction from logging, mining, and palm oil plantations is accelerating. On Simeulue, mining projects and proposed plantations threaten remaining forest. The species has also been subject to illegal capture – in one case, a pair was used as decoys by trappers on Nias before being handed to a local museum. Their tameness makes them especially vulnerable to hunters.

Despite protection in some Indonesian reserves, the species is not listed under CITES, leaving international trade unregulated. Conservation actions have included the establishment of a custom aviary and care program on Nias and proposed field surveys to clarify population size and island-level distributions.

Sulu hornbill (Anthracoceros montani)

• Conservation status: Critically Endangered.
• Estimated population: Fewer than 50 mature individuals.
• Range and habitat: Tawi-Tawi island, Sulu Archipelago, Philippines; confined to remaining mountain forest.
• Threats: Deforestation, hunting, logging, habitat conversion, trade.

The Sulu hornbill is one of the world’s most threatened hornbill species and may be on the brink of extinction. Once abundant across three islands of the Sulu Archipelago, it is now reliably found only on Tawi-Tawi, where an estimated 20 or fewer pairs persist in the central mountain range. It has become increasingly scarce in recent decades due to extensive forest loss and degradation, with most recent sightings limited to a few individuals in isolated habitat patches.

The total remaining forest cover on Tawi-Tawi is now thought to be less than 10 square kilometers. Though the rate of oil palm expansion has slowed, remaining forests are still fragmented and under pressure from agriculture, mining, and logging.

The species inhabits primary dipterocarp forest, typically on mountain slopes, and depends on large trees for nesting. While largely frugivorous, it may also consume small lizards and insects. Its precipitous decline has also been driven by hunting for food and target practice, nest poaching, and possible capture for trade.

Conservation efforts face immense logistical challenges due to ongoing conflict and lack of formal protected areas in the region. However, recent community-based projects, such as habitat restoration, ranger training, and local ordinances against hunting, offer some hope for this critically endangered hornbill. Captive breeding is under consideration as a last resort.

Spix’s macaw (Cyanopsitta spixii)

• Conservation status: Extinct in the Wild (pending reassessment).
• Estimated population: Approximately 20 individuals in the wild.
• Range and habitat: Caatinga woodland of northeastern Brazil.
• Threats: Habitat loss, illegal trapping, inbreeding, low reproductive success.

The Spix’s macaw, long known from the illegal pet trade and a single wild population near the Rio Sao Francisco in Bahia, Brazil, vanished from the wild in 2000 after centuries of exploitation. The bird depended on narrow strips of gallery woodland in the Caatinga biome, where it nested in Tabebuia caraiba trees and fed on local Euphorbiaceae.

By the late 1980s, the wild population was reduced to a single male, which paired with a released female of the same species in 1995 and later with a blue-winged macaw (Primolius maracana). The last confirmed sighting occurred in 2000, and despite occasional local reports, extensive field surveys found no surviving individuals. Based on this absence and comprehensive survey data, the species was formally declared extinct in the wild.

The primary drivers of extinction were habitat destruction and relentless trapping for the live bird trade, especially in the 20th century. Logging, grazing, and agricultural expansion degraded the already narrow habitat corridor. Other pressures included invasive African bees that displaced the birds from nesting cavities and possible local impacts from dam construction. Meanwhile, the captive population, founded on just seven wild birds, has struggled with inbreeding, skewed sex ratios, and low fertility. Less than one in ten viable eggs yields a fledgling. Nonetheless, advanced management techniques, including artificial insemination and international studbook coordination, have grown the population to over 180 birds.

Reintroduction efforts have gained momentum in recent years. Protected areas were established in Bahia in 2018, and in 2022, the first 20 captive-bred birds were released near Curaca, forming stable flocks and adapting well to the wild. In 2023, one pair hatched chicks – the first wild nesting in over three decades. Although the chicks did not survive, this marks a turning point. Two more wild hatchings were confirmed in 2023.

Supported by the Brazilian government, NGOs, and local communities, the Spix’s macaw is now at the heart of one of the most ambitious parrot recovery programs in history, offering hope that this iconic species may reclaim its place in Brazil’s natural landscape.

Tracking survival

This list is not static. Some of these birds may disappear forever in the coming years. Others may join the list as their numbers fall. And a few, with sustained effort, may one day be counted among conservation’s rare successes. At Planet of Birds, we continue to follow their stories – not just to record what’s been lost, but to highlight what can still be saved.

Further reading

• 13 of the world’s rarest and most endangered woodpeckers
• 15 of the world’s rarest ducks and the threats they face
• 16 of the world’s rarest eagles, and why they’re in danger
• 19 of the world’s rarest and most endangered hummingbirds
• 24 of the world’s rarest parrots and their fragile future
• 25 of the world’s rarest owls, some are on the brink of extinction
• 27 rarest and most endangered doves and pigeons in the world