The Travails of Two Woodpeckers: Ivory-Bills and Imperials (Hardcover)

~ Noel F. R. Snyder (Author), David E. Brown (Author), Kevin B. Clark (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Nearly two feet long with striking black, white, and red plumage, the Ivory-billed and Imperial Woodpeckers were two of the most impressive woodpeckers in the world. Both species were known to be in serious decline by the end of the nineteenth century and are likely extinct today, though occasional reports of sightings persist. While the Ivory-billed was one of the first endangered birds to receive intensive conservation attention, the efforts were too often misdirected, and too little, too late. Concern for the fate of the Imperial Woodpecker came even later and resulted in a similar fate.

The probable extinction of two of North America's largest and most charismatic birds has much to teach us regarding conservation efforts, especially as many other species face similar problems. In closely examining the history of the decline and causes of extinction of the Ivory-billed and Imperial Woodpeckers, the authors offer explanations for the birds' demise and strategies for future conservation and research efforts that focus mainly on the deadly, though largely understated, role of human depredations.

About the Author

Noel F. R. Snyder is a retired field biologist formerly with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and with Wildlife Preservation Trust International. He is an author of many books, including The Carolina Parakeet: Glimpses of a Vanished Bird, The California Condor: A Saga of Natural History and Conservation, Raptors of North America: Natural History and Conservation, The Parrots of Luquillo: Natural History and Conservation of the Puerto Rican Parrot, and Parrots: Status Survey and Conservation Action Plan 2000-2004.

David E. Brown is a research scientist affiliated with Arizona State University. His publications include The Grizzly in the Southwest, The Wolf in the Southwest, Arizona Game Birds, Arizona Wetlands and Waterfowl, and Borderland Jaguars.

Kevin B. Clark is a former U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service biologist who worked on the recovery of endangered species such as the California Gnatcatcher and California Least Tern and was regional recovery coordinator for the threatened Western Snowy Plover. He now works as a freelance biologist who conducts endangered species surveys and monitoring for government agencies and private companies.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 184 pages
• Publisher: University of New Mexico Press (May 16, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0826346642
• ISBN-13: 978-0826346643
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.1 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #516,125 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars More background history on the bird we wish we could see, October 15, 2009

By	game lover (Miami, FL USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

Here is yet another book offering some new points of view about the causes of the ivory-billed woodpecker's decline and probable extinction. This one, however, also covers its similar but even larger cousin, the imperial woodpecker of the Mexican highlands. What a shame that, due to unenlightened environmental policies that failed to protect them, these two birds, arguably the most spectacular of all North American avifauna, have vanished forever. The authors do not seem to take any of the recent alleged sightings too seriously, yet have not totally discounted them either, and seem to think that there is some chance, albeit very slim, that some may yet survive. They sound like they wouldn't exactly bet on it though, and prefer instead to examine the history of man's encounters with both species and to theorize about how they lived back in the times when they still were plentiful.

If, alas, the birds are indeed gone, one has to wonder what the point of all this speculation might be, other than an object lesson in what not to do when it comes to protecting endangered species. Whether or not they actually still exist, they were an awe-inspiring component of our native fauna, and fans of these legendary birds, this reviewer included, although deeply disappointed at the possibility that they are in fact extinct, still have an insatiable curiosity to know all the historical facts about them, and to experience vicariously what it might have been like to encounter them in their natural habitats.

The odds are stacked against it, but let us hope at least some of the recent sightings may have been genuine, and that a chance is still there for us to see them! But even if worst comes to worst, at least we have this book to help us ponder what might have been...

5.0 out of 5 stars Human impacts on these birds' extinctions, especially hunting, offer different viewpoints on what leads to the demise of species, August 19, 2009

By	Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

THE TRAVAILS OF TWO WOODPECKERS: IVORY-BILLS & IMPERIALS is a top pick for any college-level library strong in natural history. Deserving of ongoing recommendation and selection, it comes from a team of biologists (Noel F.R. Snyder, David R. Brown, Kevin B. Clark) who examine how the extinction of these two birds offer lessons on conservation and human interactions with the environment. Human impacts on these birds' extinctions, especially hunting, offer different viewpoints on what leads to the demise of species and is key for any library strong in ecology or natural history issues.