Extinct Birds

To the list of recently extinct birds

Extinct birds are not that rare

Since the 15th century, numerous bird species have disappeared around the world, particularly on islands. The reasons for this are varied and often a combination of factors such as hunting, habitat loss, the introduction of non-native species, or climate change.

The dodo (Raphus cucullatus), once endemic to the island of Mauritius, is probably the most famous of all extinct birds. The disappearance of the large, flightless pigeon in the 17th century is primarily due to hunting by humans, invasive animal species and the destruction of its habitat.

The New Zealand moas (Dinornithiformes) are almost as well known as the dodo. Moas refer to several species of sometimes very large ratites, such as the North Island and South Island giant moa or the lesser moa. Their extinction in the 15th century is mainly due to hunting by the Maori.

The Stephens Island wren, which lived exclusively on the small island of Stephens Island, is also famous. According to legend, a single cat, brought to the previously uninhabited island, wiped out the entire population of this flightless bird species within a year.

Colorful plumage and extinct bird species

In modern times, a number of parrot species (Psittaciformes) have also become extinct, such as the Carolina parakeet, native to North America, in the first half of the 20th century, or the Cuban macaw at the end of the 19th century. In addition to the deforestation of their habitat and invasive predators, the exotic pet trade often played an important role in the disappearance of brightly colored birds. The extinction of the New Zealand huia is also due to the trade in the bird itself and the hunting of its twelve long black tail feathers and its curved beak; it probably disappeared at the beginning of the 20th century.

And then there are the Hawaiian honeycreepers (Drepanidini) from the Hawaiian island chain. Of the approximately 57 species that once existed, perhaps only a third still exist today, and these are highly endangered or threatened with extinction. Extinct birds of the tribe from the finch family include the Oahu ʻalauahio and the Black mamo – these became extinct at the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th centuries. The causes here are also the destruction of their natural habitat and the emergence of invasive species, but also introduced diseases such as avian malaria and avian pox, which often lead to the death of endemic birds, contributed to their extinction.

Extinct birds: Data & dacts (as of 10/2025)

According to the IUCN Red List, 164 bird species have become extinct worldwide since 1500 – significantly more than extinct mammals, reptiles or amphibians. However, it is highly likely that these 168 bird species are not the end of the story, as there are many other species that have been considered missing for many years and may also already be extinct. For example, this includes the pink-headed duck, which is native to South Asia and was last sighted in the mid-20th century, but may have survived in unexplored areas in northern Myanmar. The Himalayan quail has also been considered missing since 1879, but is not classified as extinct, as it is possible that a small population still exists.

Oceania with 58 species has the most extinct birds to report (such as the Norfolk ground dove and the Tasmanian emu); in sub-Saharan Africa 46 species have disappeared (including a. the Réunion dove and the Rodrigues solitaire), in North America 35 (e.g. B. the ivory-billed woodpecker and the imperial woodpecker) and on the Caribbean Islands 13 (such as the Gould’s emerald). In Europe, only two bird species have become extinct in modern times: the great auk, which people hunted to extinction in 1852 for its feathers, meat, fat and oil. And the Canary Islands oystercatcher, which has not been sighted since 1913.

The most frequently disappeared birds – 64 species – are species that can be assigned to the order of passerines (Passeriformes), such as the Kioea from Hawaii, which became extinct in 1987, or the Antioquia antpitta, which is endemic to Colombia and became extinct as early as 1878. The second most affected group, with 24 species, is the Gruiformes. These include rails such as the Tongatapu rail, which disappeared in 1777, the Dieffenbach’s rail, which has not been documented since the 1840s, or the Saint Helena rail, which became extinct at the beginning of the 16th century. Furthermore, 16 parrot species (Psittaciformes) and 16 pigeon species (Columbiformes) have disappeared.

Detailed pages are available for the following birds:

• Aepyornis maximus – the largest elephant bird and the mystery of when it went extinct
• Amsterdam duck
• Dodo – Dead as a dodo
• Haast’s Eagle
• Himalayan Quail
• Huia
• Lyall’s wren
• North Island giant moa
• Passenger Pigeon
• Pink-headed duck
• Tongatapu rail
• Ula-ai-hawane
• White-chested white-eye