Stop Shooting Rare Birds and Watch Them Instead – Casson Living – World News, Breaking News, International News

Two ivory-billed woodpeckers — This historic image shows two ivory-billed woodpeckers captured by Arthur Allen in the field in 1935.
Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections, Cornell University Library

Arthur Allen meticulously prepared his camera gear and packing at his home in Ithaca, New York, gearing up for an adventure southward to the dense swamps of Osceola County, Florida. His mission? To seek out a bird many deemed a ghost: the ivory-billed woodpecker. Most scientists believed this magnificent bird had vanished forever, but Allen was determined to prove them mistaken.

It was 1924, and Allen, a dynamic and passionate ornithology professor at Cornell University, was about to embark on a sabbatical. A stout man with a lively demeanor and a bushy mustache, he was beloved by his students, who affectionately referred to him as Doc Allen, appreciating his approachable nature. Having grown up in working-class Buffalo, New York, he moved to Ithaca in 1904 to pursue his studies at Cornell and never departed.

The ivory-billed woodpecker, the largest woodpecker species in the United States, had fascinated many before Allen. Its striking black-and-white feathers, brilliant white bill, and captivating yellow eyes made it a subject of interest among early naturalists. In the 18th century, English artist and naturalist Mark Catesby documented the bird in his book, Natural History of Carolina, Florida and the Bahama Islands, published in 1731. The ivory-billed woodpecker later captured the attention of notable 19th-century naturalists, including Alexander Wilson and John James Audubon, who featured the species in their works. To ensure accuracy, they collected specimens, a practice that was acceptable at the time but soon became problematic due to widespread habitat destruction as forests were cleared for agriculture. The relentless hunting of birds for profit also contributed to the decline of numerous species, notably the passenger pigeon, which was slaughtered en masse for food.

An illustration of ivory-billed woodpecker — The resilient ivory-billed woodpecker, elegantly perched on a willow oak, as depicted by Mark Catesby in the 1720s.

The Royal Collection

With a fierce dedication to avian studies, particularly those teetering on the brink of extinction, Allen embarked on this journey. The great auk, the passenger pigeon, and the Carolina parakeet had already disappeared, and the ivory-billed woodpecker seemed to be next. Allen was resolute in his commitment to spend however long it took to search Florida for this elusive bird, aiming to document its existence through detailed study and photography. His expedition marked a pivotal moment in ornithology, ushering in a new era where scientists began prioritizing the preservation of rare birds over their collection.

Before 1796, the concept of extinction was foreign to most people. French scientist Georges Cuvier was the first to introduce the idea that species could be lost forever. Prior to this realization, it was inconceivable to think any creature could simply vanish from the planet. Notably, Thomas Jefferson had once stated, “Such is the economy of nature that no instance can be produced of her having permitted any one race of her animals to become extinct.” However, as awareness of extinction grew during the Victorian era, so did the obsession with collecting rare specimens. The Victorian period witnessed a surge in the popularity of collecting birds and their eggs, with the most endangered species becoming the most coveted. “Now is the time to collect,” wrote W.T. Hornaday, then the chief taxidermist at the Smithsonian, in an 1891 publication. “The time will come when the majority of the vertebrate species now inhabiting the earth … will be either totally exterminated or exist only under protection.”

A man sits in the woods watching birds — In April 1935, Allen, known for his calm demeanor, observes an ivory-billed woodpecker nest in the field.

Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections, Cornell University Library (2)

Notable ornithologists were complicit in this tragic trend. William Brewster, a co-founder and early president of the American Ornithologists’ Union (now known as the American Ornithological Society), amassed over 40,000 specimens during his lifetime, shooting numerous birds himself and purchasing rare specimens from fellow collectors, including Arthur T. Wayne. After a collecting trip in 1892, Wayne informed Brewster that he had captured 43 Bachman’s warblers (a now-extinct species) and 13 “fine ivory-billed woodpeckers.” He even advertised in the AOU’s journal, The Auk, offering pairs of ivory-bills for sale, right next to ads for repeating rifles.

Naturalists certainly recognized the looming threat to the ivory-billed woodpecker. Charles Abbott wrote in 1894, “The probabilities are that [the ivory-billed woodpecker] will soon be extinct.”

The ivory-billed woodpecker’s allure was irresistible to collectors, taxidermists, and fashion industries, while those who raised concerns were often ridiculed. When the Fish and Wildlife Service declared the bird extinct, many ornithologists expressed skepticism, believing it might still survive, prompting the government to delay a definitive conclusion.

Allen’s profound influence on ornithology cannot be overstated. Over his long career, he transformed the field by educating over 10,000 Cornell undergraduates and mentoring many distinguished ornithologists of the 20th century. He also played a pivotal role in establishing the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, which has become a cornerstone of bird conservation efforts.

In the 1960s, when the North American peregrine falcon faced extinction due to pesticide use, Tom Cade, a Cornell professor and director of raptor research at the Lab of Ornithology, spearheaded a large-scale captive-breeding initiative. This groundbreaking program successfully reintroduced thousands of young falcons into their natural habitats, leading to the peregrine falcon’s removal from the endangered species list in 1999.

Since then, significant advancements in bird conservation have emerged, including the successful recovery of species like the California condor and the whooping crane. The Search for Lost Birds project, a global citizen-science initiative, aims to locate 144 bird species that have not been seen in over a decade, highlighting ongoing dedication to protecting endangered avian life. Thanks to the foundational work of Arthur Allen and his advocacy for a conservation shift, today’s scientists are committed to ensuring the survival of these birds.

By fostering collaboration and innovation, we can continue to make strides in safeguarding our feathered companions and maintaining biodiversity for generations to come.

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