Do these birds still exist or have we lost them?

Ten sought-after species:

Sianakatetraka (Dark Tetraka, Crossleyia tenebrosa)

• Last seen: Madagascar, 1999

• An expedition will leave in 2022 in search of this bird

Southern kōkako (South Island kōkako, Callaea cinereus)

• Last seen: New Zealand, 2007

• A NZ$10,000 reward will be offered for information leading to the tracking of this bird, nicknamed the “Grey Ghost”

jerdon’s racing bird (Jerdon’s Courser, Rhinoptilus bitorquatus)

• Last seen: India, 2009

• Previously believed to be extinct – rediscovered in 1986, then “lost” again

• Nightlife, so hard to find

Louette’s Nightjar (Itombwe Nightjar, Caprimulgus prigoginei)

• Last Seen: Democratic Republic of the Congo, 1955

• Only known from a female specimen from 1955

• Mysterious sounds recorded in Congo, Cameroon and Gabon may come from this bird

• The large number of nightjar species and their nocturnal lifestyle make identification difficult

Cuban long-billed kite (Cuban Kite, Chondrohierax wilsonii)

• Last seen: Cuba, 2010

• Discreet lifestyle for a bird of prey; eat snails and slugs

Ripley’s Ladybug, (Black Dove, Ptilinopus arcanus)

• Last Seen: Philippines (Negros Island), 1953

• Known from a female specimen from 1953

• A local hunter claims to have shot the bird in the 1990s

• May also live on surrounding islands

Santamartasabelwing (Santa Marta sabering, Campylopterus phainopeplus)

• Last seen: Colombia, 2010

• May have always had a very small area of ​​distribution in the Santa Marta Mountains

• Another hummingbird species was found in the same area in 2015 (blue-bearded helmeted hummingbird)

Shrub Sparrow Vilcabamba (Vilcabamba brush, Atlapetes terborghi)

• Last seen: Peru, 1968

• Extremely small habitat

• Greater chance of finding in this top 10: habitat still intact, little sought after in a structured way

Himalayan quail (Himalayan quail, Ophrysia superciliosa)

• Last Seen: India, 1877

• Possibly also sighting in Nepal in 1952

• According to ancient descriptions, they are mainly seen when chased from the grass by dogs

Siau Scops Owl (Siau scops owl, Otus siaoensis)

• Last Seen: Indonesia (Siau Island), 1866

• The only known specimen is in the Naturalis collection in Leiden

• An expedition will leave in 2022 in search of this bird

• Can be seen and heard over the past 20 years

• Siau Forest has largely disappeared, but scops may have overlooked a hidden way of life