The 50 Rarest Birds in the World

Do you know what they are?

Here is a gallery of thumbnails of all 50. Click on the thumbnails to view
fuller sized versions of images created by Blake Twigden, a notable but
little-known wildlife artist from New Zealand whose work adorns
royal palaces around the world.

These images come from the limited-edition book "The Fifty Rarest Birds of
the World", by Dr Mark Cocker, of the International Council for Bird
Preservation, based in Cambridge, England.
Matthew Bird, of Inventas Media, is controlling sales of the book.
Contact Matthew to get information on purchasing the book. Or, take a look
at a website set up to describe the book, its contents and physical
attributes. That site has procurement details too.
Visit the Project's website to purchase the book.
The latest population figures (P=) are effective in 2000.

DO SOMETHING to save these birds!
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Abbott's Booby last seen in Australia P = less than 5,000	Alagoas Curassow last seen in Brazil P = Extinct in the wild. 44 in captivity	Austral Rail last seen in Argentina and Chile P = 2,500 +	Banded Ground-cuckoo last seen in Colombia and Ecuador P = 2,500 +	Bishop's 'O'o last seen in Hawaii P = last recorded in 1981
.;.
Black-breasted Puffleg last seen in Ecuador P = less than 250	Black-faced Spoonbill last seen in Korea, Thailand, Hong Kong, Japan, Taiwan, China P = less than 700	Black-hooded Antwren last seen in Brazil P = less than 2,500	California Condor last seen in California P = 50 reintroduced to California and Arizona, 97 in captivity	Chinese Crested Tern last seen in Taiwan, China, Thailand, Philippines, Indonesia P = less than 50

Chinese Egret last seen in Korea, China, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, Philippines P = less than 2,500	Crested Shelduck last seen in Korea, and Russia P = last confirmed record in 1964.	Crested Ibis last seen in China, and Japan P = 66 wild, 100+ in captivity	Edward's Pheasant last seen in Vietnam P = less than 1,000	Zino's Petrel (Madeira Petrel or Freira) last seen in Madeira P = 40 - 60

Giant Ibis last seen in Cambodia, Laos P = less than 50	Greater Adjutant last seen in India, Nepal, Bangladesh P = less than 800	Gurney¹s Pitta last seen in Malaysia, Thailand P = 18	Imperial Amazon last seen in Dominica P = 300 +	Ivory-billed Woodpecker last seen in Louisiana, Florida, Cuba P = probably extinct

Jerdon's Courser last seen in India P = less than 250	Juan Ferdandez Firecrown, last seen in Chile P = less than 400	Junin Grebe last seen in Peru P = less than 250	Kakapo last seen in New Zealand P = 60+	Kinglet Cotinga (Calyptura) last seen in Brazil P = less than 50

Kokako last seen in New Zealand P = less than 1,500	Lesser Florican last seen in India, Pakistan and Bhutan P = less than 2,500	Madagascar Red Owl last seen in Madagascar P = less than 2,500	Madagascar Serpent-Eagle last seen in Madagascar P = less than 250	Mauritius Parakeet last seen in Mauritius P = 100 - 126

Paradise Parrot last seen in Australia P = last confirmed record 1927	Philippine Eagle last seen in the Philippines P = less than 650	Prince Ruspoli's Turaco last seen in Ethiopia P = less than 10,000	Rapa-Fruit-Dove last seen in Tahiti P = about 250	Red-faced Malkoha last seen in Sri Lanka P = few thousand

Red-vented (Philippine) Cockatoo last seen in the Philippines P = less than 4,000	Salmon-crested Cockatoo last seen in Indonesia P = less than 10,000	Seychelles Magpie-Robin last seen in the Seychelles P = 85	Sichuan Hill-partridge last seen in China P = less than 2,000	Slender-billed Curlew last seen in Russia P = less than 50

Snail-eating Coua last seen in Madagascar P = Extinct since 1834	Society Islands (Polynesian) Ground-Dove last seen on the Tahitian island of Moorea P = less than 250	Socorro Mockingbird last seen on the island of Socorro off Mexico P = less than 250	Solomon Islands Crowned-Pigeon (Choiseul Pigeon) last seen on Choiseul Island in the Solomons P = last recorded in 1904	Spix's Macaw last seen in Brazil P = last remaining wild bird disppeared in November, 2000. About 60 remain in captivity

Ultramarine Lorikeet last seen on the Marquesas archipelago in the South Pacific P = less than 2,500	White-bellied Heron last seen in Nepal and Myanmar P = less than 1,000	White-eared Night-heron last seen on Hainan island, China P = less than 1,000	White-eyed River-Martin last seen in central Thailand P = less than 50	Yellow-eared Parrot last seen in Colombia P = less than 125

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Here is a sample of a larger view, this one
showing the Abbott's Booby.
...

Population estimates from Threatened Birds of the World, Birdlife International, 2000