Birds are the only surviving members of the clade Dinosauria, which makes them the only extant ‘dinosaurs.’ Over the last 500 years, around 150 bird species and subspecies have gone extinct. Additionally, over 200 species are critically endangered. The primary reasons for a bird to go extinct include habitat loss and the threat from predatory animals – especially those introduced within their habitat range by human activity.
The list includes birds that have been classified as extinct after 1500.
Birds confined to isolated habitats, such as islands, are most vulnerable to these threats. This is also true for flightless birds. Islands like Hawaii and Guam are at the top of the list for losing their native birds. Around 30% of the population of the birds that have gone extinct since 1500 were native to Hawaii.
What are the most recently extinct birds?
The poʻouli or black-faced honeycreeper, Hawaiian crow, and white-chested white-eye are some of the most recently extinct species, declared extinct after 2000.
What are some extinct flightless birds?
Dodo is probably the most famous of all extinct species, and it was also flightless. The great auk, Kangaroo Island emu, and Tasmanian emu are some of the other flightless extinct birds.
What are some of the largest extinct birds?
The moas and elephant birds are among the largest extinct birds, better recognized worldwide. Other giant birds that are now extinct include the prehistoric Pelagornis sandersi, Brontornis, Titanis, and the thunder birds.
