A growing number of bird species have been missing for more than 10 years, with no proven sightings in the wild. When that happens, scientists worry. Could these species be extinct, with no living members left? The Search for Lost Birds project aims to find these missing feathered friends.
In 2022, the project started listing every lost bird from around the world. The list has 152 species. Since the project started, 23 of them have been found. The black-naped pheasant-pigeon had been lost for more than 100 years!
When a lost species is found, the work isn’t over. The project teams up with local communities to protect the animals. Christina Biggs works at a conservation group involved with this effort. “Each rediscovery is a huge celebration,” she says. “It’s incredible to know there’s a chance to recover these species!”