10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 14, 2015

The species was in the news because some scientists had finally managed (or bothered – it’s much the same thing) to locate the population high in the mountains of the Solomon Islands, and catch and photograph one. I’m not going to rehash the arguments for scientific collecting here. New Zealand Bitterns.

Collecting 231

Collecting Solomon Islands New Zealand Fiji 231

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 7, 2014

The bird today is documented physically by only a single specimen (a second was lost), but where the specimens were collected — and therefore where this species actually lived before its extinction — is unknown. Solomon Islanders say that the species was driven to extinction by cats and dogs introduced by Europeans.

Solomon Islands 278

Solomon Islands Guinea Mauritius Humane 278

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 8, 2012

The fossil record here is actually very good for birds, but across the whole of the country the entire collection of bones of pelicans only represented seven individuals. For starters New Zealand didn’t seem to have or have ever had the right type of wetlands to sustain a population of this large piscivore. And, sometimes, New Zealand.

New Zealand 183

New Zealand Pelicans Solomon Islands Palau 183