15 exotic endangered bird species

Birds have always been associated with beauty, freedom and sky. But, it seems like these free omens of godly presence have been chained down with evils like changing climate, human intrusion, loss of habitat due to clearing of forests for farming and illegal shooting. All these have contributed in drag many beautiful and rare bird species on the verge of extinction. Here I list some 15 exotic endangered bird species that are fighting for their survival.

endangered birds

1. The Takahe:

takahe

The New Zealand Takahe is brightly colored flightless bird that plucks out grass to gulp in the softest part at the bottom of the leaf. Having a bright red face and bright blue and green plumage, this attractive bird is nearing extinction due to over-hunting, loss of habitat and introduced predators.

2. The Iiwi:

iiwi

This Hawaiian honeycreeper is known to extract nectar from the flowers of the Hawaiian lobelioids. Most of the decline is blamed on loss of habitat, as native forests are cleared for farming, grazing, and development. Apart from that diseases spread by mosquitoes stands as another threat to this beautiful red bird. It has been classified as endangered.

3. The green bee eater:

green bee eater

Global warming has proved to be destructive for our planet. The little green bee eater has too become a victim of it. This amazing bird is on the verge of extinction due to loss of habitat, as deforestation is destroying the forests. They are not even being able t meet terms with the changing climate. So, these factors end this tropical bird on the endangered bird list.

4. The Seychelles Magpie Robin:

seychelles magpie robin

This medium-sized endangered bird from the granitic Seychelles in the Indian Ocean has a glossy coal-black plumage with a white-colored bar on each wing. Although it is considered a long-lived species whose lifespan is over 15 years, only 16 were left due to the introduction of predators and habitat destruction. This specie has made it to the list of endangered species.

5. The American bald eagle:

american bald eagle

Found in North America, this bird of prey is a large bird with a brown body with a white head and tail, bright yellow irises, and golden taloned feet and hooked beak. This sea eagle is nearing extinction due to thinning of egg shells attributed to use of the pesticide DDT, widespread loss of suitable habitat and illegal shooting.

6. The Puaiohi:

puaiohi

The Puaiohi is a rare species of songbird in the thrush family, Turdidae that is native to the Hawaiian island. This cute bird has mouse brown plumage with pink colored feet. Puaiohi populations are vulnerable to drought, hurricanes, avian malaria and mammalian predation of both eggs and young.

7. The Hawaiian Stilt:

hawaiian stilt

The Hawaiian Stilt is an endangered species. Having long legs to support its flight, this bird survives on dragon flies, small fish, worms, crabs, water insects, and the seeds and roots of water plants. The reason for the decline of this species has been habitat destruction due to drainage of marshes and other wetland areas.

8. The little tern:

little tern

The Little Tern is a seabird that is found almost in every shoreline of the world. Pollution and habitat destruction are responsible for its declining number. It has a white forehead in breeding plumage, yellow legs and thin sharp yellow bill with a black tip.

9. The Regent Honeyeater:

regent honeyeater

The Regent Honeyeater is an endangered bird endemic to Australia. This yellow and black bird survives on nectar and insects within eucalyptus forests. In the last few decades the population of this beautiful bird has declined dramatically due to clearing of woodlands for farming and other agricultural purposes. It is listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List and under both Australia's Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 and Queensland's Nature Conservation Act 1992.

10. The Micronesian kingfisher:

micronesian kingfisher

The Micronesian kingfisher is one of the world's most endangered bird species. This species of kingfisher from the Pacific Islands of Guam, Pohnpei and Palau is a brilliantly colored, medium sized bird, 20-24 cm in length. The specie has been declared extinct in the wild, while only 58 kingfishers are left in United States zoos.

http://www.guamendangeredbirds.com/

11. The Bali Starling:

bali starling

Discovered in 1910, the Bali Starling is endemic to the island of Bali in Indonesia. This rare bird is a medium-sized stocky myna, almost wholly white with a long, drooping crest, and black tips on the wings and tail. The urbanization of the island and the illegal trapping for the caged-bird trade is the reason for this bird to enter into the list of endangered species.

12. The Mauritius fody:

mauritius fody

The Mauritius Fody, Foudia rubra, is a bird commonly found in the island of Mauritius. With less than mere 250 of them remaining, the BirdLife International has classified it as being endangered. The major threats to this amazing specie are loss of habitat and introduced predators.

13. The Chatham Petrel:

chatham petrel

The Chatham Petrel is a medium-sized, grey, white and black gadfly petrel. The Chatham Petrel is endemic to the Chatham Islands, New Zealand. Once present throughout the Chatham group, now only 1,000 birds are left. Threatened by man, introduced mammals like rats and cats and the loss of forest habitat it has been declared as Nationally Endangered.

14. The Gorgeted Puffleg:

gorgeted puffleg

The Gorgeted Puffleg is found in Colombia. This hummingbird was discovered in 2005, but not confirmed as new until 2007. It is just on the verge of extinction, earning it the status of critically endangered. The only place where it is found is the cloud forests of the Serrania del Pinche. Measures between 90 and 100 millimeters, the bird is under threat by agriculture, especially coca farming.

15. The Sidamo Lark:

sidamo lark

Prevalent in Ethiopia, the Sidamo Lark is a species of lark in the Alaudidae family. Also known as Liben Lark, this beautiful bird is natural found in dry savanna and subtropical or tropical dry lowland grassland. Listed in the endangered category, it went on to become critically endangered. The reason for its rapidly declining population is habitat loss.