James R. Hill, III, an ornithologist who worked in association with the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology in Arkansas, then with Auburn University in the Panhandle of Florida, presented a slide show when the Vernon Garden Club met Thursday. The slide presentation was on Hill’s work in his quest to search for proof that the Ivory-billed Woodpecker did not go extinct in the 1940s. Hill, who now lives in Vernon, showed photos of his fascinating and ongoing search for Ivorybills along the Choctawhatchee River. He titled his presentation: “My Seven-Year Search for the Ivory-billed Woodpecker.”
Hill urged those who frequented the river area to be on the lookout for the Ivory-billed Woodpecker as mature bottomland hardwood forest areas that are marshy and often flooded is the habitat of the bird. He stressed that it is very unlikely to find one in an urban, suburban or even a rural area.
The Ivory-billed is often confused with the common and widespread Pileated Woodpecker, as well as with other species. The Ivory-billed is longer and has different markings than other woodpeckers. They have a longer more slender wing with a white trailing edge where the Pileated has black trailing edge on their wing. The Ivory-billed has a dark face, a large pale bill. The male has a back-swept red crest and the female has a forward curling black crest. The Pileated male and female have red crest. When an Ivory-billed is perched, a white triangular patch on its back where the wings meet is visible.
The Ivory-billed Woodpecker was rediscovered in 2004 at Cache River National Wildlife Refuge in Arkansas. Later a reported siting was along the Choctawhatchee River in the Panhandle of Florida. Hill showed a graphic of the habitat area of the Ivory-billed prior to its possible extinction in the ’40′s and our area was identified as being one of the major areas for the bird. He said the cutting of the cypress trees during the ’20′s and 30′s was a major factor leading to the possible extinction in our area.
Hill is continuing his quest to prove the bird still exists in the Panhandle using sophisticated cameras and listening devices. He urges anyone who possibly thinks they have seen one of these beautiful birds to get in touch with him at ibwohunter@earthlink.net or go to www.birds.cornell.edu/ivory. But remember you must consider where you saw the bird as they are secretive dwellers of the southern bottomland swamp forest and will not more than likely be in your backyard.
