70 replies to this topic

[jrobinson]

My husband saw one of these in our Florida backyard. He said he saw one about 30 years ago and never saw one again until today. Though I am not a bird watcher, I know it's supposed to be rare. He did not get a picture. Anyone know of any other sightings?

[JimBob]

POST THE PIC!!!! They are supposed to be extinct.

Probably a Pileated WP.

[Melissa :)]

Biggest question to be asked (or so I've heard...): did it have white on its back??

[JimBob]

Agree melissa.

[Melissa :)]

Isn't that the main way you tell? From the white?

[ColoTomo]

Not another Ivory - billed Woodpecker thread !!!!!

[JimBob]

Not another Ivory - billed Woodpecker thread !!!!!

I know right?

[jrobinson]

He said he thought it was mostly black and that it was about the size of a chicken, about 4 times the size of a normal woodpecker. He did not get a picture but he said if he sees it again he will take a picture of it. Sorry about "another ivory-billed woodpecker" thread. Like I said I'm not really a bird watcher. He was impressed by the size and the "indian-head" red cone. He said when it saw it about 30years ago his dad told him that they were protected because they were about extinct so he was surprised when he saw one today.

[Melissa :)]

So, no white on the back?

[betiam]

sigh

[jrobinson]

He can't be sure if there was white on the back. He was impressed with the size and the fact that he had not seen another one in about 30 years. If we see it again, we will take a picture and post. It may have been a pileated wp but according to his description it was much bigger than crow sized. Thank you all for the positive comments. I really didn't expect the rude comments. I tried to make it clear that I was an amateur and was just looking for some help. Thanks again for those who helped with what to look for (ie white markings).

[ColoTomo]

He said he thought it was mostly black and that it was about the size of a chicken, about 4 times the size of a normal woodpecker. He did not get a picture but he said if he sees it again he will take a picture of it. Sorry about "another ivory-billed woodpecker" thread. Like I said I'm not really a bird watcher. He was impressed by the size and the "indian-head" red cone. He said when it saw it about 30years ago his dad told him that they were protected because they were about extinct so he was surprised when he saw one today.

To be perfectly honest I'm quite fond of these threads. By any chance was this bird spotted outside of Area 51? Did this bird have unusually large hairy human feet? Did he see any flying reindeer pulling a sled nearby?

[Melissa :)]

To be perfectly honest I'm quite fond of these threads. By any chance was this bird spotted outside of Area 51? Did this bird have unusually large hairy human feet? Did he see any flying reindeer pulling a sled nearby?

Haha really? I don't think Santa climbs up trees !!

[Pat B.]

OP - if you will Google this subject you will see why you are getting these comments. Exceedingly controversial subject and "sightings" have taken on the aura of UFO sightings. Highly unlikely it was an Ivory-billed.

[BarnSwallow]

"Normal" woodpeckers come in different sizes. Two of the most common woodpeckers in the southeast are the downy and the flicker. The downy is about 6 1/2" and the flicker is about 12.5". The red-bellied is another of the most common, and is about 9", so saying it's 4 times the size of a normal woodpecker doesn't tell us much. Also, the ivory-billed was only a couple of inches bigger than a crow, and the pileated is about crow-sized, so that's not a telling sign, either.

[Melissa :)]

And the Ivory-billed has white on its back while Pileated doesn't (its the one piece of ID info that I know for sure, so I'm gonna repeat it!!! haha )

[Liam]

What was the habitat it was seen in? If your backyard doesn't look like this, it was a Pileated Woodpecker.

[Liam]

Expanding on what I just posted, even before Ivory-billed Woodpeckers were extinct, they were rare in the deep recesses of wooded swampland. One would never be found in an urban backyard, not even two hundred years ago. If a Ivory-billed Woodpecker were sighted, it would be way out in the middle of nowhere, hundreds of miles away from human development, in a wooded swampland somewhere in Louisiana or Mississippi or something.

[jrobinson]

I appreciated Jim Bob and Melissa's posts. They were helpful. It was nice for someone to mention identifying marks (ie white on the back) and to also offer alternatives "probably a pileated". I am sorry that I signed up and got on this forum. I guess I had a preconceived notion about what type of people would be on here. I really expected everyone to be nature lovers and intellectuals that would provide meaningful feedback. As my 15yo son told me "Mom, Haters are always gonna be haters. Don't let 'em get to ya". Sot thanks to those of you who did provide meaninful feedback. No further replies will be read. Thanks.

[JimBob]

This is exactly how the other person reacted, when we were skeptical. The chances of someone finding one are so slim, when someone makes a first post about seeing one, it is hard to believe. I'm sorry about the bad first impression. . . most of the time the members are nice and very helpful.

Sorry, JB