A Search for the Ivory-billed Woodpecker
Aside from the Passenger Pigeon, the Ivory-billed Woodpecker is perhaps the most legendary North American bird. An impressive, large bird with striking features, the survival of the Ivory-billed Woodpecker has been the subject of fascination and debate for more than a century. That led the National Aviary to join an ongoing search effort to find this elusive species, known as Project Principalis.
Through this project, the National Aviary collaborates with independent researchers, community scientists, and nature enthusiasts who once made up the long-running Ivory-bill search team known as Project Coyote. At the invitation of Matt Courtman, the National Aviary joined Project Coyote and the search effort in 2018, forming the new Project Principalis.
Through this project, the National Aviary collaborates with independent researchers, community scientists, and nature enthusiasts who once made up the long-running Ivory-bill search team known as Project Coyote. At the invitation of Matt Courtman, the National Aviary joined Project Coyote and the search effort in 2018, forming the new Project Principalis.
Embarking on new, cooperative research efforts, we expanded the search’s intensity through proven scientific methods. Bringing in University of Pittsburgh and Duquesne University faculty and students, we focused on the usage of remote Acoustic Recording Units (ARU’s) to gathering audio data. We also sought out partners in molecular genetics and began collecting environmental DNA (eDNA) samples. We also expanded the number and hours of boots on the ground in an effort to locate possible roosting or nesting sites.
Our goal as researchers is to document Ivory-billed Woodpeckers at our study site in Louisiana, to document concrete evidence that establishes the species’ persistence, and to start gathering behavioral data about what we believe is at least one group of surviving birds.
Read the Learn More About Our Ongoing Work section below and discover: The Ivory-billed Woodpecker’s history in North America, what makes the species unique, and our efforts to establish without a doubt that the Ivory-billed Woodpecker persists in Louisiana. You can also read our Latest Field Notes, which detail multiple lines of evidence indicating the survival of the Ivory-billed Woodpecker in Louisiana.
The National Aviary is a leader in avian conservation, animal care, and education. You can support our work, including initiatives like Project Principalis:
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Learn More About Our Ongoing Work
Listen to the enchanting call of the Ivory-billed Woodpecker incorporated into the melody of Boscoyo Fleaux ft. Dickie Landry by Louis Michot.
For media inquiries, please contact the National Aviary’s Department of Marketing and Communications at [email protected].
For general questions and comments about the work of Project Principalis, please contact [email protected].
Support this important project by directing your donation to Project Principalis.
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