Ivory-Billed Woodpecker by Amy Gunn

The Ivory Billed Woodpecker (campephilus principalis) was listed as endangered on March 11th 1967. The species was thought to be extinct, until 2005 when birders spotted the species in an Arkansas swamp forest. According to National Geographic, "It was hailed as the bird equivalent of finding Elvis alive." This video, with the link below, was featured on cbsnews.com and describes the event where the species was rediscovered and how significant this discovery was. 

 http://www.cbsnews.com/news/finding-the-lord-god-bird/ 

The ivory-billed woodpecker is known to be found in the southeast region, specifically in Arkansas. It's known for its striking black and white plumage. It has a robust white chisel tipped bill. It has has a lemon yellow eye and a pointed crest. 

The male ivory-billed woodpeckers are red from the nape to the top of their crest, while the female woodpeckers have a solid black crest. In the picture, the male is shown above with the female below.

The overall length of the ivory-billed woodpecker is approximately 48-51 cm, a wingspan of 76-80 cm and a weight of 454-567 grams. 

This species is a resident of large, contiguous forests with numerous trees and part of the forest in decay to provide the species a continuous supply of food. 

The diet of this species is not well understood. Large beetle larvae is considered the most important component of its diet with also members of the long horned beetle family noted to be found in their stomachs. The ivory-billed woodpeckers have a greater home range in comparison to other smaller woodpeckers. They fly distances of at least several kilometers each day to get from their roost sites to feeding areas. As far as reproduction goes, breeding for this species occurs between January and April. It as clutch sizes of 2 to 4 eggs. Both sexes of this species incubate the eggs and both parents help feed the young for about  35 days until they are ready to go on their own. Below is a picture of a baby ivory-billed woodpecker. 

The greatest known threats to the ivory-billed woodpecker include logging, mining, plantations and other various types of exploitation. It's thought that logging of the mature forests that form its habitat was probably the major cause for the disappearance of the species. 

The Recovery Plan for the ivory-billed woodpecker was enacted in April of 2010 in response to the new sightings of the species in Arkansas. 

1) The recovery strategy is to focus first on locating and confirming the presence of the species, and then to add to the knowledge about the woodpecker. 

2)The goal of the recovery plan is to locate, protect and increase existing populations and associated habitats so it can be down listed from the endangered species list to the threatened species list.

3) The recovery objectives include: identify and delineate any existing populations, identify and reduce risks to any existing population, protect and enhance suitable habitat, and lastly reduce or eliminate threats to allow restoration of multiple populations

 4)In order for the recovery goal to be achieved, there are certain criteria to be followed, this includes: surveying any potential habitats for any occurrences of the species, determining the current habitat use and needs of existing populations, conservation of habitats on public and private lands, analyzing viability of existing populations, and determining the number and geographic distribution of subpopulations needed for a self-sustaining metapopulation. 

5)Recovery actions that must be taken in order for the recovery plan to be implemented correctly include: population surveys and monitoring, habitat inventory, population and habitat modeling, research for testing biological assumptions, landscape characterization and assessment, outreach and education on conservation of species, management of public use where species is, and the management of rediscovered population. 

The total estimated cost of recovery for the ivory-billed woodpecker is unfortunately unknown. This is due to the limited knowledge about its occurrence, distribution, and long term actions. 

For more information, videos, and fun facts about the ivory-billed woodpecker, visit the website below. 

http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Ivory-billed_Woodpecker/lifehistory

Works Cited: 

Digital image. Http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e8/Campephilus_principalisAPP049CA.jpg. Web.

Digital image. Http://osaconservation.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/Dahl_Pale-billed-Woodpecker-Watermark.jpg. Web.

Digital image. Http://sdakotabirds.com/species/maps/ivory_billed_woodpecker_map_large.jpg. Web.

Digital image. Http://www.gambassa.com/gambassafiles/images/images/averyl/ivory_billed_woodpecker_v1.jpg. Web.

"Finding The 'Lord God Bird'" CBSNews. CBS Interactive. Web. 5 June 2015. <http://www.cbsnews.com/news/finding-the-lord-god-bird/>.

"Ivory-Billed Woodpeckers, Ivory-Billed Woodpecker Pictures, Ivory-Billed Woodpecker Facts - National Geographic." National Geographic. Web. 5 June 2015. 
<http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/birds/ivory-billed-woodpecker/>.

"Ivory-billed Woodpecker." , Life History, All About Birds. Web. 5 June 2015. <http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Ivory-billed_Woodpecker/lifehistory>.

"Ivory-billed Woodpecker Photos and Facts." Ivory-billed Woodpecker Videos, Photos and Facts. Web. 5 June 2015. <http://www.arkive.org/ivory-billed-woodpecker/campephilus-principalis/>.

"Recovery Plans Search." Endangered Species. Web. 5 June 2015. <http://www.fws.gov/endangered/species/recovery-plans.html>.