Slender-billed curlew: First bird extinction on the European mainland in modern times

A study published on November 18, 2024 in the journal IBIS confirms the extinction of the slender-billed curlew (Numenius tenuirostris). This migratory shorebird is the first continental bird species in Europe to have gone extinct in modern times due to human influence. Until now, only two other European bird species, the great auk and the Canary Island oystercatcher, were considered extinct—but both were native to islands.

The slender-billed curlew, a member of the sandpiper family, bred in the bogs of western Siberia and migrated in winter to coastal regions around the Mediterranean and North Africa. Historically, its range was extensive: records show sightings from Central Asia to European countries such as the Netherlands and France. The last confirmed observation dates from 1995, when one individual was documented at Merja Zerga, Morocco.

How was the extinction determined?

The study, a collaboration between the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB), BirdLife International, the Naturalis Biodiversity Center in Leiden and the Natural History Museum in London, used a broad range of scientific methods. Historical sightings, museum specimens, search efforts and known threat factors such as habitat loss and hunting were analyzed. An IUCN model for estimating extinction probabilities confirmed that the slender-billed curlew is extinct with a probability of 96%. The year 1995 most likely marks the final moment of its disappearance.

The causes of the decline

The exact reasons for the extinction of the slender-billed curlew remain unclear, but various factors probably accelerated its decline. One of the main causes was the large-scale drainage of bogs in western Siberia, which had formerly served as breeding grounds, in favor of agricultural use. In addition, coastal wetlands that were essential wintering and feeding sites were lost. Particularly critical was hunting, which in recent decades focused on an already decimated and fragmented population.

Other potential influences such as pollution, disease and climate change have not yet been conclusively clarified. Scientists nevertheless assume that the combination of these factors ultimately pushed the species to the brink of extinction.

Fruitless search for the slender-billed curlew

After 1995, extensive search efforts were launched to track down the bird in its possible breeding and wintering areas. Hundreds of thousands of square kilometers in regions such as Russia, Kazakhstan and North Africa were searched—without success. Alex Bond, principal curator of birds at the Natural History Museum, emphasizes in a statement to BirdLife International that such scenarios could increasingly become the norm in times of climate change: “As climate change progresses, this will become the normal state. It is not getting better for birds.” He warns that protecting habitats, combating climate change and curbing pollution are extremely important to safeguard the survival of threatened bird species—both nationally and internationally.

Action is needed: 16 more shorebird species threatened

The disappearance of the slender-billed curlew underlines the urgency of conservation measures. News of this species’ extinction comes only shortly after the IUCN Red List update at the end of October, when 16 additional migratory shorebird species were moved into higher threat categories on the Red List because of population declines.

Alex Berryman, Red List officer at BirdLife International, sees the fate of the slender-billed curlew as a warning: “No bird is safe from extinction. Without decisive action, a new wave of species losses will sweep across the continents.” Since 1500, more than 150 bird species have disappeared worldwide, with invasive species on islands being the main cause—90% of bird extinctions affected island populations. But while losses on islands are decreasing, the threat on the continents is growing. This is primarily due to habitat destruction, overexploitation of resources and other anthropogenic threats.

The extinction of the slender-billed curlew shows how vulnerable even widespread mainland species are. The ongoing destruction of habitats and the failure to take protective measures in time led to this species being lost forever. What matters now is drawing the lessons from this loss and safeguarding other threatened species through targeted, coordinated conservation measures. Only in this way can we prevent the fate of the slender-billed curlew from being repeated.

In addition to the slender-billed curlew, the IUCN classified a total of 19 animal species as globally extinct in 2024. For the first time, two species native to Germany were also declared extinct: the Chiem whitefish and the Starnberg whitefish. Both fish species were endemic to Lake Chiemsee and Lake Starnberg.