|
#
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Species [range]
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Photo/art
[see credits]
all photos taken in the wild
|
Summary of reasons for this choice
|
DR
seen?
+
point
total
|
|
11
|
Kakapo
Strigops habroptilus
[New Zealand]
|
|
Currently it is impossible to see the world's only flightless parrot.
All remaining individuals of this huge booming parrot were captured from
1980-1992 from two isolated & declining populations and taken to 4
well-guarded offshore islets in hopes that semi-natural "captive" breeding
would save the species from extinction. The plan is working but only researchers
(and only a few of them) actually see the wild birds. There is, however,
much hope for the future.
|
No
[19]
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12
|
Emperor Penguin
Aptenodytes forsteri
[Antarctica]
|
|
This is the world's largest penguin. As it breeds in the Antarctic
winter well inland on that forboding continent, and far from touristed
spots in the ice & snow, few observers see it. It still has a reasonably
healthy population but its huge size and unique life history warrant it
a spot well up the list of the earth's great birds.
|
No
[18]
|
|
13
|
Blue Bird-of-Paradise
Paradisaea rudolphi
[Papua New Guinea]
|
|
Among the gorgeous canopy dwelling birds of paradise, none is so
lovely and in so much danger as this species. It is limited to a few fragmented
patches of lower montane forest in a single country. It has an incredible
inverted display that males perform hanging upside down, and the glowing
blue feathers are unwordly. There are other great BOPs in this and other
genera, but this is among the very best.
|
Yes
[18]
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14
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Short-tailed Albatross
Phoebastria albatrus
[n. Pacific Ocean]
|
|
Almost entirely wiped out by shooting, egging, and volcanic eruptions
on Tori-shima I., its primary breeding grounds off Japan, today it is making
a slow comeback. Nearly extinct by the end of WWII, perhaps 1200 of this
huge albatross now exist, and youngsters now range the entire north Pacific.
Other albatross are now rarer (e.g., Chatham Albatross Thalassarche
eremita) but they closely resemble more common species; Short-tailed
is unique in many ways.
|
Yes
[18]
|
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15
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Crested Argus
Rheinardia ocellata
[southeast Asia]
|
|
There is quite an assortment of wonderful & rare pheasants
in the world; although it is hard to chose I go with the two huge argus
pheasants of tropical lowlands or foothills. Even females are impressive
but long-tailed males are astonishing. This species has a much more restricted
range than Great Argus (#18). Much of its range is within Vietnam &
Laos, countries that have been difficult to visit until recently.
|
No
[18]
|
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16
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any Cassowary
Casuarius sp.
[Australasia]
|
|
An observer can spend weeks in forests inhabited by cassowaries
but never see one. These powerful but flightless birds are exceptionally
elusive. A sighting of any of the 3 species is a major highlight: Southern
C.
casuarius [ne. Australia, s. New Guinea], Northern C. unappendiculatus
[w. New Guinea] or Dwarf C. bennetti [foothills of e. New Guinea].
For more, see my Cassowary
page.
|
Yes,
1 of 3
[17]
|
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17
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any Kiwi
Apteryx sp.
[New Zealand]
|
|
It is absolutely wonderful to see any of the 3 (or more?) species
of kiwi. Brown A. australis is still widespread but everywhere elusive
& declining; Little Spotted A. owenii & Great Spotted A.
haastii have limited ranges (and Little Spotted is very rare but increasing
with active managment on predator-free offshore islets). These are nocturnal
enigmas that probe for earthworms; females lay unbelievably large eggs
for their body size. Totally unique; recent biochemical work suggests there
are more than 3 species.
|
Yes,
1 of 3
[17]
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18
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Great Argus
Argusianus argus
[southeast Asia]
|
|
Like the Crested Argus (#15) within its own monotypic genus, this
huge & impressive pheasant is shy and elusive on the floor of lowland
forests on the Malay Pen., Sumatra & Borneo. Its voice carries for
miles but it is a very lucky day when one is actually seen. There are other
superb & very rare pheasants but in a sense they are all "chickens"
and thus I hold the line at just 3 of them (a tragopan & 2 argus).
|
Yes
[17]
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19
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Plains-Wanderer
Pedionomus torquatus
[interior Australia]
|
|
The second of 4 monotypic families that made the "top 50," this
secretive bird exists only in a few isolated sparse grasslands in the interior
of Australia. Its taxonomic affinities remain uncertain. Can be exceptionally
difficult to locate without local guides; see my
Plains-Wanderer
page for more details
|
Yes
[17]
|
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20
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Shoebill
Balaeniceps rex
[e. & c. Africa]
|
|
A rare and rather shy specialist that feeds on lungfish in vast
papyrus swamps, it is still usually considered as a monotypic family although
recent evidence suggests it is a relative of pelicans. For years there
was no reasonable place to visit in hopes of seeing one, but the recent
re-opening of Uganda to tourists now provides good opportunities. I saw
it at Murchison Falls NP in 2002, but there is habitat very close to Kampala
as well. See my
Shoebill
page for more details
|
Yes
[17]
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