extinct birds

This bird used to be hugely abundant and wide-ranging, migrating to Europe, Central Asia and the Middle East from the Sahel zone of Africa. But thanks to habitat loss and hunting, the species is now declining across its range, especially in Western Europe, and its conservation status has recently been re-classified as Vulnerable to extinction 

The Snowy Owl Bubo scandiacus is surely one of the most widely recognised birds in the world, made even more famous through the Harry Potter franchise. It is also exceedingly widespread, occurring throughout the Arctic tundra of the Northern Hemisphere. Yet it is experiencing a rapid decline, most likely driven by climate change: disruptions to snowmelt and snow cover can affect the availability and distribution of its prey. It has recently been classed as Vulnerable 

 the Atlantic Puffin Fratercula arctica has stolen hearts throughout the North Atlantic Ocean. This much-loved seabird even formed the inspiration for Star Wars’ Porgs, since its breeding colonies were too numerous to digitally remove from the filming location on the island of Skellig Michael, Ireland.

Sadly, overfishing and climate change have created food shortages, and the classic sight of a puffin loading its beak with row upon row of fish may soon be hard to come by. The species is now considered Vulnerable to extinction.

 The Yellow-breasted Bunting Emberiza aureola was one of Eurasia’s most abundant bird species, breeding across the Northern Hemisphere from Finland to Japan. However, since 1980, its population has declined by 90%, whilst its range has contracted by 5,000 km, and the species is now considered Critically Endangered. Although now officially banned, large-scale hunting of this bird continues, particularly in China—in 2001, an estimated one million buntings, known colloquially as ‘the rice bird’, were consumed in China’s Guangdong province alone. 

the Grey Parrot Psittacus erithacus – a species that is so synonymous with the word “bird” that it’s frequently used to illustrate “B for Bird” in children’s alphabet books. This friendly and highly intelligent parrot is a favourite companion that can be found in pet shops and homes around the world – but that’s part of the problem. Their popularity fuels an illegal trade which, combined with the deforestation of their habitat across central Africa, now renders the species Endangered in the wild. 

The Black-legged Kittiwake Rissa tridactyla is the default European seagull species, right? Not anymore. The sight of cliffs heaving with these sociable seabirds may soon be a thing of the past. On the island of St Kilda in Scotland, UK, populations have plummeted by 96% since 2000, and cliffs are now lying barren. Like the Atlantic Puffin, overfishing and climate change are thought to be the main causes. Rising sea temperatures are driving catastrophic declines in plankton populations, with a knock-on effect to the rest of the food chain, including fish. 

vultures as the ultimate survivors: carrion feeders that clean up after other animals have died, and will probably still be doing so when human civilization is long gone. So it may shock you to learn that across Africa and Eurasia, many vulture populations are in free fall. Today, just two of the 16 species of “Old World” Vultures remain off the Endangered list, while eight are classified as Critically Endangered and are at risk of imminent extinction; three are Endangered; and three Near Threatened.