Rediscovering Lost Bird Species: A 2025 Update

In 2025, birders and scientists documented five previously "lost" bird species, which had not been seen or recorded in the wild for at least a decade. This update comes from the Lost Birds List, maintained by the Search for Lost Birds project, a collaboration involving the American Bird Conservancy, Re:wild, and BirdLife International. The list aims to highlight species that have not been documented, serving as an early warning system for conservation efforts. The total number of "lost" birds has decreased from 163 in 2022 to 120 in 2025, reflecting successful rediscoveries and taxonomic reclassifications.

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Among the five rediscovered species in 2025, the Bismarck kingfisher (Ceyx websteri) was photographed by Papua New Guinean ornithologist John Lamaris after 13 years of absence from records. Similarly, the Biak myzomela (Myzomela rubrobrunnea) was documented for the first time in two decades by Ethan Skinner in Indonesian Papua. The broad-billed fairywren (Chenorhamphus grayi) was also rediscovered after 11 years, thanks to avid birder Daniel Hoops and his guide Royke Mananta. Additionally, Harish Thangaraj recorded the sounds of Jerdon’s courser (Rhinoptilus bitorquatus), a critically endangered bird not seen for 125 years, although confirmation of its identity requires further evidence.

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In 2025, the slender-billed curlew (Numenius tenuirostris) was declared extinct, attributed to habitat loss, hunting, and environmental degradation. The white-chested tinkerbird (Pogoniulus makawai) was reclassified as a subspecies of the yellow-rumped tinkerbird (Pogoniulus bilineatus). The Mindoro imperial pigeon (Ducula mindorensis) and the Mindoro bleeding-heart (Gallicolumba platenae) are among six new species to be added to the Lost Birds List in 2026, each not seen for over a decade.

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The decline of bird species is exacerbated by habitat loss, hunting, climate change, and diseases such as the H5N1 avian flu. Island species are particularly vulnerable due to their limited habitats and exposure to invasive species and climate-related threats. John Mittermeier, director of the Search for Lost Birds project, expressed concern over the plight of island birds but remains optimistic about the birding community's ability to aid in conservation efforts. He noted that the community has already reduced the lost bird list by approximately 25% in five years.

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John Mittermeier emphasized the importance of the Lost Birds List as an "early warning system" for conservation, stating, “We’re not putting effort into looking for something that isn’t there and doesn’t exist.” He expressed hope that the list could eventually reach zero, highlighting the potential of the global birding community to contribute to conservation efforts.

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• “The most fun part for me of this whole initiative and experience is seeing these discoveries that people around the world are making,” — John Mittermeier, Director, Search for Lost Birds project.

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• “We know islands are at the forefront of extinction, and so having lost birds on small islands [is] a little bit concerning to me,” — John Mittermeier, Director, Search for Lost Birds project.

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• “I’m really hopeful that we can get this list down to zero,” — John Mittermeier, Director, Search for Lost Birds project.

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