Globally Extinct: Birds
The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (Version 2011.1) shows that at least 1244 of the 9856 living bird species on Earth are known to be threatened with extinction (BirdLife International 2008; IUCN 2010; IUCN 2011). According to the IUCN at least 132 bird species have become extinct since the year 1500 (IUCN 2010; IUCN 2011). It doesn't list any bird subspecies. However, the real situation could be much worse, as 62 bird species are listed as Data Deficient and many as critically endangered (possibly extinct) (IUCN 2010; IUCN 2011).
Photo: A live Laysan Crake or Laysan Rail (Limnocorax palmeri) photographed by Alfred Marshall Bailey in 1913. This photo is in the public domain in the United States. This applies to U.S. works where the copyright has expired, often because its first publication occurred prior to 1 January 1923.
Do you know any species or subspecies that should be added to this list or has been rediscoverd? If so, please contact this website.
Species
The subjoined table shows the bird species that recently became globally extinct.
| Species (166) | |||
| Scientific Name | Common Name | TSEW Status | IUCN Status |
| Aegotheles novaezealandiae | New Zealand Owlet-nightjar | EX | NE |
| Aepyornis maximus | Great Elephantbird | EX | NE |
| Alectroenas rodericana | Rodrigues Pigeon | EX | EX |
| Alopecoenas ferruginea | Tanna Ground-dove | EX | EX |
| Alopecoenas salamonis | Thick-billed Ground Dove | EX | EX |
| Alopochen kervazoi | Réunion Shelduck | EX | EX |
| Alopochen mauritianus | Mauritian Shelduck | EX | EX |
| Amazona martinicana | Matinique Amazon | EX | EX |
| Amazona violacea | Guadeloupe Amazon | EX | EX |
| Anas marecula | Amsterdam Island Duck | EX | EX |
| Anas oustaleti | Mariana Mallard | EX | NE |
| Anas theodori | Mauritian Duck | EX | EX |
| Anomalopteryx didiformes | Little Bush Moa | EX | NE |
| Anthornis melanocephala | Chatham Island Bellbird | EX | EX |
| Aphanapteryx bonasia | Red Rail | EX | EX |
| Aphanapteryx leguati | Rodrigues Rail | EX | EX |
| Aplonis corvina | Kusaie Island Starling | EX | EX |
| Aplonis fusca | Norfolk Starling | EX | EX |
| Aplonis mavornata | Mysterious Starling | EX | EX |
| Aptornis otidiformis | North Island Adzebill | EX | NE |
| Aptornis defossor | South Island Adzebill | EX | NE |
| Ara atwoodi | Dominican Green-and-Yellow Macaw | EX | EX |
| Ara erythrocephala | Red-headed Green Macaw | EX | EX |
| Ara erythrura | Red-tailed Blue-and-Yellow Macaw | EX | NE |
| Ara gossei | Jamaican Red Macaw | EX | EX |
| Ara guadeloupensis | Guadeloupe Red Macaw | EX | EX |
| Ara martinique | Martinique Macaw | EX | NE |
| Ara tricolor | Cuban Red Macaw | EX | EX |
| Aratinga labati | Guadeloupe Conure | EX | EX |
| Argusianus bipunctatus | Double-Banded Argus | EX | EX |
| Atlantisia elpenor | Ascension Flightless Crake | EX | EX |
| Atlantisia podarces | St. Helena Crake | EX | EX |
| Bowdleria rufescens | Chatham Island Fernbird | EX | EX |
| Bullweria bifax | St. Helena Bulwer's Petrel | EX | EX |
| Cabalus modestus | Chatham Island Rail | EX | EX |
| Caloenas maculata | Liverpool Pigeon | EX | EX |
| Camptorhynchus labradorius | Labrador Duck | EX | EX |
| Capellirallus karamu | New Zealand Snipe-rail | EX | NE |
| Caracara lutosa | Guadalupe Caracara | EX | EX |
| Chaetoptila angustipluma | Kioea | EX | EX |
| Chaunoproctus ferreorostris | Bonin Grosbeak | EX | EX |
| Chloridops kona | Kona Grosbeak | EX | EX |
| Chlorostilbon bracei | Brace's Emerald | EX | EX |
| Chlorostilbon elegans | Gould's Emerald | EX | EX |
| Circus eylesi | Eyles's Harrier | EX | NE |
| Ciridops anna | Ula-'Ai-Hawane | EX | EX |
| Cnemiornis calcitrans | South Island Goose | EX | NE |
| Cnemiornis gracilis | North Island Goose | EX | NE |
| Coenocorypha chathamica | Forbes's Snipe | EX | NE |
| Columba duboisi | Réunion Pigeon | EX | EX |
| Columba jouyi | Ryukyu Pigeon | EX | EX |
| Columba versicolor | Bonin Wood Pigeon | EX | EX |
| Conuropsis carolinensis | Carolina Parakeet | EX | EX |
| Corvus antipodum | New Zealand Raven | EX | NE |
| Corvus moriorum | Chatham Islands Raven | EX | NE |
| Coturnix novaezelandidae | New Zealand Quail | EX | EX |
| Coua delalandei | Delalande's Coua | EX | EX |
| Cyanoramphus ulietanus | Raiatea Parakeet | EX | EX |
| Cyanoramphus zealandicus | Black-fronted Parakeet | EX | EX |
| Diaphorapteryx hawkinsi | Hawkin's Rail | EX | EX |
| Dinornis novaezealandiae | North Island Giant Moa | EX | NE |
| Dinornis robustus | South Island Giant Moa | EX | NE |
| Drepanis funerea | Black Mamo | EX | EX |
| Drepanis pacifica | Hawaii Mamo | EX | EX |
| Dromaius ater | King Island Emu | EX | EX |
| Dromaius baudinianus | Kangaroo Island Emu | EX | EX |
| Dysmorodrepanis munroi | Lanai Hookbill | EX | EX |
| Dysmoropelia dekarchiskos | St. Helena Dove | EX | EX |
| Ectopistes migratorius | Passenger Pigeon | EX | EX |
| Emeus crassus | Eastern Moa | EX | NE |
| Euryanas finschi | Finsch's Duck | EX | NE |
| Euryapteryx curtus | Coastal Moa | EX | NE |
| Euryapteryx geranoides | Stout-legged Moa | EX | NE |
| Falco buboisi | Réunion Kestrel | EX | EX |
| Fregilupus varius | Réunion Starling | EX | EX |
| Fulica chathamensis | Chatham Island Coot | EX | NE |
| Fulica newtoni | Mascarene Coot | EX | EX |
| Fulica prisca | New Zealand Coot | EX | NE |
| Gallicolumba norfolciensis | Norfolk Island Ground-dove | EX | EX |
| Gallinula hodgenorum | Hodgens' Waterhen | EX | NE |
| Gallinula nesiotis | Tristan Moorhen | EX | EX |
| Gallirallus dieffenbachii | Dieffenbach's Rail | EX | EX |
| Gallirallus pacificus | Tahiti Rail | EX | EX |
| Gallirallus wakensis | Wake Island Rail | EX | EX |
| Gerygone insularis | Lord Howe Gerygone | EX | EX |
| Haematopus meadewaldoi | Canarian Black Oystercatcher | EX | EX |
| Harpagornis moorei | Haast's Eagle | EX | NE |
| Hemignathus ellisianus | Greater Akialoa | EX | EX |
| Hemignathus obscurus | Lesser Akialoa | EX | EX |
| Hemignathus sagittirostris | Greater 'Amakihi | EX | EX |
| Heliangelus zusii | Bogota Sunangel | EX | DD |
| Heteralocha acutirostris | Huia | EX | EX |
| Ixobrychus novaezelandiae | New Zealand Little Bittern | EX | EX |
| Limnocorax monasa | Kosrae Crake | EX | EX |
| Limnocorax palmeri | Laysan Crake | EX | EX |
| Limnocorax sandwichensis | Hawaiian Crake | EX | EX |
| Lophopsittacus bensoni | Mauritius Grey Parrot | EX | EX |
| Lophopsittacus mauritianus | Broad-billed Parrot | EX | EX |
| Malacorhynchus scarletti | Scarlett's Duck | EX | NE |
| Mascarenotus grucheti | Réunion Owl | EX | EX |
| Mascarenotus murivorus | Rodrigues Owl | EX | EX |
| Mascarenotus sauzieri | Mauritius Owl | EX | EX |
| Mascarinus mascarinus | Mascarene Parrot | EX | EX |
| Megadyptes waitaha | Waitaha Penguin | EX | NE |
| Megalapteryx didinus | Upland Moa | EX | NE |
| Mergus australis | Auckland Island Merganser | EX | EX |
| Microgoura meeki | Solomon Island Crowned Pigeon | EX | EX |
| Moho apicalis | O'ahu 'O'o | EX | EX |
| Moho bishopi | Molokai 'O'o | EX | EX |
| Moho braccatus | Kaua'i 'O'o | EX | EX |
| Moho nobilis | Hawai'i 'O'o | EX | EX |
| Myadestes myadestinus | Kamao | EX | EX |
| Myadestes woahensis | Amaui | EX | EX |
| Myiagra freycineti | Guam Flycatcher | EX | EX |
| Nannococcyx psix | St. Helena Cuckoo | EX | EX |
| Necropsar rodericanus | Rodrigues Starling | EX | EX |
| Necropsittacus rodericanus | Rodrigues Parrot | EX | EX |
| Nesillas aldabrana | Aldabra Brush-warbler | EX | EX |
| Nesoclopeus poecilopterus | Bar-winged Rail | EX | EX |
| Nestor productus | Norfolk Island Kaka | EX | EX |
| Nycticorax duboisi | Réunion Night-heron | EX | EX |
| Nycticorax mauritianus | Mauritius Night-heron | EX | EX |
| Nycticorax megacephalus | Rodrigues Night-heron | EX | EX |
| Pachyanas chathamica | Chatham Island Duck | EX | NE |
| Pachyornis australis | Crested Moa | EX | NE |
| Pachyornis elephantopus | Heavy-footed Moa | EX | NE |
| Pachyornis mappini | Mappin’s Moa | EX | NE |
| Paroreomyza flammea | Molokai Creeper | EX | EX |
| Pezophaps solitaria | Rodrigues Solitaire | EX | EX |
| Phalacrocorax perspicillatus | Spectacled Cormorant | EX | EX |
| Pinguinus impennis | Great Auk | EX | EX |
| Podiceps andinus | Colombian Grebe | EX | EX |
| Podilymbus gigas | Atitlan Grebe | EX | EX |
| Pomarea fluxa | Eiao Monarch | EX | EX |
| Pomarea mira | Ua Pou Monarch | EX | EX |
| Pomarea nukuhivae | Nuku Hiva Monarch | EX | EX |
| Pomarea pomarea | Maupiti Monarch | EX | EX |
| Porphyrio albus | Lord Howe Swamphen | EX | EX |
| Porphyrio coerulescens | Réunion Gallinule | EX | EX |
| Porphyrio kukwiedei | New Caledonia Gallinule | EX | EX |
| Porphyrio mantelli | North Island Takahe | EX | EX |
| Porzana astrictocarpus | St. Helena Rail | EX | EX |
| Porzana nigra | Miller's Rail | EX | EX |
| Prosobonia ellisi | White-winged Sandpiper | EX | EX |
| Prosobonia leucoptera | Tahitian Sandpiper | EX | EX |
| Psephotus pulcherrimus | Paradise Parrot | EX | EX |
| Psittacula exsul | Newton's Parakeet | EX | EX |
| Psittacula wardi | Seychelles Parakeet | EX | EX |
| Pterodroma rupinarum | Large St. helena Petrel | EX | EX |
| Ptilinopus mercierii | Red-moustached Fruit-dove | EX | EX |
| Ptilinopus nitidissimus | Mauritius Blue Pigeon | EX | EX |
| Quiscalus palustris | Slender-billed Grackle | EX | EX |
| Raphus cucullatus | Dodo | EX | EX |
| Rhodacanthis flaviceps | Lesser Koa-finch | EX | EX |
| Rhodacanthis palmeri | Greater Koa-finch | EX | EX |
| Sceloglaux albifacies | Laughing Owl | EX | EX |
| Tachybaptus rufolavatus | Alaotra Grebe | EX | EX |
| Threskiornis solitarius | Réunion Flightless Ibis | EX | EX |
| Traversia lyalii | Stephens Island Wren | EX | EX |
| Turdus ravidus | Grand Cayman Thrush | EX | EX |
| Turnagra capensis | South Island Piopio | EX | EX |
| Turnagra tanagra | North Island Piopio | EX | EX |
| Upupa antaois | St. Helena Hoopoe | EX | EX |
| Xenicus longipes | New Zealand Bush Wren | EX | EX |
| Zoothera terrestris | Bonin Thrush | EX | EX |
| Zosterops strenuus | Lord Howe White-eye | EX | EX |
Subspecies
The subjoined table shows the bird subspecies that recently became globally extinct.
| Subspecies (69) | |||
| Scientific Name | Common Name | TSEW Status | IUCN Status |
| Acrocephalus caffra garretti | Huatrine Island Reed Warbler | EX | NE |
| Acrocephalus caffra musae | Raiatea Long-billed Reed Warbler | EX | NE |
| Acrocephalus luscinia astrolabii | Astrolabe Nightingale Reed Warbler | EX | NE |
| Acrocephalus familiaris familiaris | Laysan Millerbird | EX | NE |
| Amazona vittata gracilipes | Culebra Island Amazon | EX | NE |
| Ammodramus maritimus nigrescens | Dusky Seaside Sparrow | EX | NE |
| Anas georgica niceforoi | Niceforo Brown Pintail | EX | NE |
| Anas gibberifrons remissa | Rennel Island Grey Teal | EX | NE |
| Anas strepera couesi | Coues's Gadwall | EX | NE |
| Aratinga chloroptera maugei | Puerto Rican Conure | EX | NE |
| Bostrychia olivacea rothschildi | Principe Olive Ibis | EX | NE |
| Branta canadensis asiatica | Bering Canada Goose | EX | NE |
| Callaeas cinerea cinerea | South Island Kokako | EX | NE |
| Canirallus cuvieri abbotti | White-throated Rail | EX | NE |
| Carpodacus mexicanus mcgregori | McGregor's House Finch | EX | NE |
| Cettia diphone restricta | Daito Japanese Bush Warbler | EX | NE |
| Coenocorypha aucklandica barrierensis | Little Barrier Snipe | EX | NE |
| Coenocorypha aucklandica iredalei | Stewart Island Snipe | EX | NE |
| Columba palumbus maderensis | Madeiran Wood Pigeon | EX | NE |
| Columba vitiensis godmanae | Lord Howe White-throated Pigeon | EX | NE |
| Coracina coerulescens altera | Cebu Black Greybird | EX | NE |
| Coracina coerulescens cebuensis | Cebu Barred Greybird | EX | NE |
| Cyanoramphus novaezelandiae erythrotis | Macquarie Red-fronted Parakeet | EX | NE |
| Cyanoramphus novaezelandiae subflavescens | Lord Howe Red-fronted Parakeet | EX | NE |
| Dromaius novaehollandiae diemenensis | Tasmanian Emu | EX | NE |
| Empidonax euleri johnstonei | Grenada Euler's Flycatcher | EX | NE |
| Eulabeornis concolor concolor | Jamaican Uniform Crake | EX | NE |
| Gallinula nesiotis nesiotis | Tristan Island Cock | EX | NE |
| Hemignathus lucidus lucidus | Oahu Nukupu'u | EX | NE |
| Hemiphaga novaeseelandiae spadicea | Norfolk Island Pigeon | EX | NE |
| Himatione sanguinea freethi | Laysan Honeycreeper | EX | NE |
| Icterus leucopteryx bairdi | Grand Cayman Oroile | EX | NE |
| Lalage leucopyga leucopyga | Norfolk Island Long-tailed Triller | EX | NE |
| Loriculus philippensis siquijorensis | Siquijor Hanging Parrot | EX | NE |
| Loxigilla portoricensis grandis | St. Kitts Puerto Rican Bullfinch | EX | NE |
| Melospiza melodia graminea | Santa Barbara Song Sparrow | EX | NE |
| Moupinia altirostris altirostris | Burma Jerdon's Babbler | EX | NE |
| Myadestes elisabeth retrusus | Isle of Pines Solitaire | EX | NE |
| Myadestes obscurus lanaiensis | Lanai Thrush | EX | NE |
| Myadestes obscurus oahensis | Oahu Thrush | EX | NE |
| Myadestes obscurus ruthus | Molokai Thrush | EX | NE |
| Ninox novaeseelandiae albaria | Lord Howe Island Boobook Owl | EX | NE |
| Ninox novaeseelandiae undulata | Norfolk Island Boobook Owl | EX | NE |
| Paroreomyza montana montana | Lanai Creeper | EX | NE |
| Parus varius orii | Daito Varied Tit | EX | NE |
| Pipilo erythrophthalmus consobrinus | Guadalupe Rufous-sided Towhee | EX | NE |
| Pomarea nigra pomarea | Maupiti Flycatcher | EX | NE |
| Pomarea nigra tabuensis | Tongatabu Flycatcher | EX | NE |
| Porzana cinerea brevipes | Iwo Jima White-browed Crake | EX | NE |
| Psittacula eques eques | Réunion Parakeet | EX | NE |
| Quiscalus mexicanus palustris | Slender-billed Grackle | EX | NE |
| Rallus philippensis macquariensis | Macquarie Island Banded Rail | EX | NE |
| Rhipidura fulignosa cervina | Lord Howe Island Fantail | EX | NE |
| Salpinctes obsoletus exsul | San Benedicto Rock Wren | EX | NE |
| Saxicola dacotiae murielae | Muriel's Chat | EX | NE |
| Speotyto cunicularia amaura | Antigua Burrowing Owl | EX | NE |
| Speotyto cunicularia guadeloupensis | Guadeloupe Burrowing Owl | EX | NE |
| Struthio camelus syriacus | Arabian Ostrich | EX | NE |
| Thryomanes bewickii brevicauda | Guadelupe Bewick's Wren | EX | NE |
| Thryomanes bewickii leucophrys | San Clemente Bewick's Wren | EX | NE |
| Troglodytes aedon martinicensis | Martinique House Wren | EX | NE |
| Troglodytes troglodytes orii | Daito Wren | EX | NE |
| Turdus celaenops yakushimensis | Yakushima Seven Island Thrush | EX | NE |
| Turdus poliocephalus mareensis | Maré Island Thrush | EX | NE |
| Turdus poliocephalus poliocephalus | Norfolk Island Thrush | EX | NE |
| Turdus poliocephalus vinitinctus | Lord Howe Island Thrush | EX | NE |
| Tympanuchus cupido cupido | Heath Hen | EX | NE |
| Zosterops mayottensis semiflava | Seychelles Chestnut-flanked White-eye | EX | NE |
| Zosterops lateralis tephropleura | Lord Howe Island Grey-beaked White-eye | EX | NE |
References
BirdLife International (2008). State of the world’s birds: indicators for our changing world. Cambridge, UK: BirdLife International.
Boyd, J.H. (2011). Taxonomy in Flux Checklist 2.5. <http://www.jboyd.net/Taxo/List.html>. Downloaded on 28 january 2011.
Fuller, E. (2000). Extinct birds. Oxford University Press, Oxford.
IUCN (2010). IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2010.4. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 12 November 2010.
IUCN (2011). IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2011.1. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 25 June 2011.
| Citation: | Maas, P.H.J. (2011). Globally Extinct: Birds. In: TSEW (). The Sixth Extinction Website. <http://www.petermaas.nl/extinct>. Downloaded on . |
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| Updated: | 25 June 2011 |