title: Video evidence and other information relevant to the conservation of the Ivory-billed Woodpecker (Campephilus principalis).
abstract: Despite the publication of three independent papers that reported sightings of the Ivory-billed Woodpecker (Campephilus principalis), its preservation became a controversial topic because nobody has been able to obtain a distinct photo, which is considered the standard form of evidence for documenting birds. An analysis based on a combination of factors related to habitat and behavior suggests that the expected waiting time for obtaining a distinct photo of an Ivory-billed Woodpecker is several orders of magnitude greater than it would be for a more typical baseline species of comparable rarity. Given these difficulties and the time pressure involved to ensure the conservation of this species, this paper discusses the need to use a different approach for an exceptional case. Presented here are three videos that show birds with flights, behaviors, field marks, and other characteristics that are consistent with the Ivory-billed Woodpecker but no other species inhabiting the region.
authors.affiliation: Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, D.C. 20375, USA.
authors.forename: Michael D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Collins
keywords: Ecology; Zoology