Which EDGE species will you vote for : The black stilt or the tooth-billed pigeon? (Poll)

[Onychorhynchus coronatus]

Ninth poll on EDGE bird species (only one more to go) : This time it is a contest between two island endemic perilously close to the brink of extinction: The black stilt and the tooth-billed pigeon.

Both species are island endemics native to islands in the Pacific (New Zealand & Samoa respectively) and listed as critically endangered by the IUCN in large part due to the impact of depredation by introduced invasive species.

Which of these bird species interests you most / will you vote for ?

Please also feel free to write comments regarding why you made the choice and why the species you have voted for interests you more.

Thanks !

Look forward to seeing the results!




Photo credits to @Ding Lingwei and @lintworm.

 

[CMP]

I really like shorebirds, but for this one I think I'll have to go with the pigeon, as this one is the 'most basal form' of the pigeon clade and is also known as 'the little dodo'. It also is absent from captivity, while the stilt fares slightly better in that regard.

 

[Onychorhynchus coronatus]

I really like shorebirds, but for this one I think I'll have to go with the pigeon, as this one is the 'most basal form' of the pigeon clade and is also known as 'the little dodo'. It also is absent from captivity, while the stilt fares slightly better in that regard.

Thanks for commenting and voting @ChunkyMunky pengopus !

I voted for the pigeon pretty much for the same reasons and also admittedly because I find that the "little dodo" is really quite a beautiful species.

I also feel that the black stilt has a greater chance of survival due to the long standing conservation efforts of New Zealand though efforts are under way for the manumea.

Another thing I should mention is that I strongly believe that the tooth billed pigeon should be kept ex-situ by zoos.

 

[Tetzoo Quizzer]

Once again, distinctiveness wins out. However, I feel that the stilt has a future as it has the great benefit of being a New Zealand species, and so has resources fighting its corner. The Pigeon may even be beyond Hope already; is it known for certain to still be extant?

 

[Onychorhynchus coronatus]

Once again, distinctiveness wins out. However, I feel that the stilt has a future as it has the great benefit of being a New Zealand species, and so has resources fighting its corner. The Pigeon may even be beyond Hope already; is it known for certain to still be extant?

Thank you for your comment and for voting @Tetzoo Quizzer !

Yes, totally agree with you regarding about the stilt being in better straits because of occurring in NZ.

The pigeon is most definitely still extant though the species is very close to extinction and subject to enormous pressures in the wild.

Personally I really do think that this bird would benefit from ex-situ by zoos in NZ (who are already helping efforts in-situ).

 

[Tim May]

I've been fascinated by dodos since I was a small child; consequently, my vote goes to the tooth-billed pigeon because of its relationship to the dodo.

 

[Dassie rat]

I agree with Tim. The dodo relationship gets my vote.

 

[Onychorhynchus coronatus]

I've been fascinated by dodos since I was a small child; consequently, my vote goes to the tooth-billed pigeon because of its relationship to the dodo.

I agree with Tim. The dodo relationship gets my vote.

Thanks for commenting and voting @Tim May and @Dassie rat !

I have to admit this is also one of my reasons for voting for the tooth-billed pigeon

The dodo both fascinates me and also I can't understand how we are letting the closest living relative of that iconic extinct bird, "the little dodo" slip closer to extinction.

 

[Onychorhynchus coronatus]

Some interesting short videos I found on youtube about the conservation efforts for the black stilt (or kakī as it is known to the Māori) in NZ :

 

[Onychorhynchus coronatus]

Looks like the Tooth billed pigeon won this poll !

To celebrate its win in the poll here is a video from a few years back detailing the in-situ conservation efforts of NZ's Aukland zoo :

Also, for those interested here is an interesting podcast interview with conservationist Rebecca Stirnemann who works to conserve the species in its native Samoa.