Lists

Birds that were thought to have been extinct

March 26, 2026 by Kai Pflug No Comments

While that turned out to be wrong, unfortunately, it might still be the truth in the near future.

Takahe

Declared extinct in the late 19th century after intense hunting and habitat loss in New Zealand, until a small population was rediscovered in 1948 in remote Fiordland.

Bermuda Petrel

Thought extinct for nearly 300 years after early colonization of Bermuda, then rediscovered in 1951 nesting on offshore islets.

Forest Owlet

Known only from 19th-century specimens and presumed extinct for over a century until rediscovered in India in 1997.

New Zealand Storm Petrel

Known only from museum skins and assumed extinct for more than 150 years, until sightings and captures confirmed survival in 2003.

Madagascar Pochard

Feared extinct after decades without confirmed sightings until a tiny surviving population was found in 2006.

Jerdon’s Courser

Indian night bird unseen for much of the 20th century before rediscovery in 1986.

Guadalupe Storm Petrel

Long presumed extinct, recent acoustic and sight records hint it may still survive.

White-winged Flufftail

One of Africa’s rarest birds, repeatedly disappearing from known sites and feared lost before rediscoveries renewed conservation efforts.

Photo: Forest Owlet, Tansa, India

Written by Kai Pflug
Kai has lived in Shanghai for 22 years. He only started birding after moving to China, so he is far more familiar with Chinese birds than the ones back in his native Germany. As a birder, he considers himself strictly average and tries to make up for it with photography, which he shares on a separate website. Alas, most of the photos are pretty average as well. He hopes that few clients of his consulting firm—focused on China’s chemical industry—ever find this blog, as it might raise questions about his professional priorities. Much of his time is spent either editing posts for 10,000 Birds or cleaning the litter boxes of his numerous indoor cats. He occasionally considers writing a piece comparing the two activities.