NathanWoodpicker

__ Ivory-Billed Woodpecker __ The //Campephilus principalis//, commonly known as the Ivory-Billed Woodpecker, is one of the rarest birds and may even be extinct. The last verified sighting was in 1983 by Cuban scientists. Some believe it was spotted in Arkansas in 2004 creating a lot of excitement. Since 2004 there have been sightings in Florida and Louisiana but they have not been confirmed. Ivory-Billed Woodpeckers are about 20 inches in length and have about a 30 inch wingspan. They are the 3rd largest species of woodpecker. At 3:35 of [|this video] is possibly the last footage of an Ivory-Billed Woodpecker, but it has not been proven to definitely be of this rare species. There is concern that this video is actually of the Pileated Woodpecker, a very similar but smaller species.
 * __// History: //__**

The niche of the Ivory-Billed Woodpecker is extremely narrow. The Ivory-Billed Woodpecker primarily feeds on beetle larvae living just below the surface of dead trees. They occasionally eat nuts, fruits, and insects. They live in old-growth, hardwood forests. They require a lot of space in the forest to obtain the food required for them to live. A pair of Ivory-Billed Woodpeckers requires approximately 6 sq. miles of forest for survival. Their range includes the southeastern United States, the Gulf Coast, Florida, the Ohio River Valley, and east Texas. They have few predators and mate for life.
 * __// Niche: //__**

The reason for the endangerment of the Ivory-Billed Woodpecker is habitat destruction. The old growth forests which they live in are being destroyed. The disappearance of the Ivory-Billed Woodpecker is directly linked to the destruction of old growth forests because their food demands require large areas of these forests. There is also evidence of hunting for their bills and plumage by Native Americans and early colonial Americans. This may have affected their populations at least in small regions.
 * __// Causes of Endangerment: //__**


 * __// Laws/Programs Protecting It: //__**
 * The Endangered Species Act of 1973. The Ivory-Billed Woodpecker has been designated as an endangered species since 1967.
 * The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Ivory-Billed Woodpecker Recovery Plan
 * A $50,000 reward has been offered to anyone who can lead a project biologist to a living Ivory-Billed Woodpecker.


 * __// Fun Facts!!!!!!!!!!!! //__**
 * The Ivory-Billed Woodpecker's beak never stops growing. It is worn down by pecking on wood.
 * It was named principalis because they erroneously thought it was the largest woodpecker. In fact, there are two larger species.
 * In Cuba, it was believed that if you hung this woodpecker outside your door, it would prevent witchcraft.
 * It is also known as the Lord God bird because people have been known to exclaim, "Lord God, what a bird!"

__ Works Cited __ "Ivory-Billed Woodpecker." Nationalgeographic.com. National Geographic, n.d. Web. 10 _xxxxx Oct. 2010. "The Ivory-Billed Woodpecker." Nature.org. The Nature Conservancy, n.d. Web. 10 Oct. _xxxxx 2010. "Ivory-Billed Woodpecker." identify.whatbird.com. n.p., n.d. Web. 13 Oct. 2010. "The Condor." Elibrary.unm.edu. n.p., n.d. Web. 10 Oct. 2010. "The Ivory-Billed Woodpecker Recovery Plan and Status of Fish and Wildlife Service Actions." _xxxxx Fws.gov U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, n.d. Web. 10 Oct. 2010. Hance, Jeremy. "New possible sighting of Ivory-Billed Woodpecker raises hope, skepticism." _xxxxx Mongabay.com n.p., 27 Jan. 2010. Web. 10 Oct. 2010