31 Cool Bird Facts #31 – Ivory-billed Woodpecker

by The Birdfreak Team on October 31, 2008

in 31 Days

The Ivory-billed Woodpecker (Campephilus principalis) has had much press over the past few years over its possible rediscovery.

The jury might still be out for the world’s third largest woodpecker’s existence, but the Birdfreaks are still hopeful.

Ivory-billed Woodpeckers

So, instead of a fact we will use a quote to finish out our 31 days:

President Theodore Roosevelt in 1907 on the Ivory-billed Woodpecker: “Their brilliant white bills contrasted finely with the black of their general plumage. They were noisy but wary, and they seemed to me to set off the wildness of the swamp as much as any of the beasts of the chase.”

    

{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }

1 Rick Wright October 31, 2008 at 10:20 am

I know one of the other two, but can’t think of another…. Fill us in!

2 The Birdfreak Team October 31, 2008 at 11:11 am

We were going with:
Imperial (23 in)
Great-Slaty (20 in)
Ivory-billed (20 in)

But we’ve never seen nor measured any of these :)

3 Larry November 1, 2008 at 3:25 pm

I didn’t know that the Ivory-billed was only the 3rd largest woodpecker. I’m going to have to go talk to my buddy google about this.-Interesting.

4 fw November 4, 2008 at 9:34 am

This has been a fun series, I have really enjoyed it and learned a few things too about some of my favorite birds. Thanks for it!

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