Hollars - Flock together: a love affair with extinct birds

While birding is, on occasion, a solitary pursuit, writing about birds certainly isnt.

I am indebted to so many whove taught me so much, including (but certainly not limited to) Larry Bennett, Dana Ehret, Josh Engel, Paula Holahan, Mark Lefebvre, Dave Linderud, Sumner Matteson, Jane Weinke, Dr. Stanley Temple, Dr. David Blockstein, Dr. Curt Meine, Joel Greenberg, and Julie Betchkal.

Most of all, thanks to Steve Betchkal, who allowed me to join his flock at a time when I hardly knew what a flock was. Without Steve, there would be no book, and unquestionably, far fewer birds in my life.

Thanks also to the Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum, the Alabama Museum of Natural History, the Field Museum of Natural History, the University of WisconsinMadisons Department of Zoology, and the James Newman Clark Bird Museum, all of which opened their doors (and specimen drawers) wide for me.

Thanks to the many writers, scholars, birders, and ornithologists who came before. Too many to name, to be sure, though perhaps I might at least acknowledge a few who have helped brings these birds to life for me. Folks such as Christopher Cokinos, Stephen Lyn Bales, Phillip Hoose, Michael Steinberg, Tim Gallagher, Dr. John Fitzpatrick, Ron Rohrbaugh, Pat Leonard, Dr. Jerome Jackson, Noel Snyder, and many others.

Thanks, too, to the people who first published portions of this book, including Jon Chopan, Jason Smith, Erika Janik, Erica Trabold, Chuck Heikkinen, Delia Unson, Claire Kortnya, Mary-Kim Arnold, Nick Meyer, Tom Giffey, Eric Christenson, and Mike Paulus.

Thanks to all my inspiring students, and in particular, my student assistants: Josh Bauer, Alex Long, David Hammersborg, Joe Thunstrom, Jamie Utphall, and Winnie Khawall of whom sifted through history so that I might better understand these birds in the context of their time. Additionally, thanks to my former student Brady Krien, whose insights on the natural worldnot to mention his canoeing prowesshelped me understand what I mightnt have otherwise.

Thanks to my friends and colleagues at the University of WisconsinEau Claire, and in particular, Chancellor James Schmidt, Provost Patricia Kleine, President Kimera Way, Dean David Leaman, Dean Carmen Manning, Dr. Erica Benson, Dr. Audrey Fessler, Dr. David Jones, Dr. Stephanie Turner, Max Garland, Jon Loomis, Allyson Loomis, Molly Patterson, John Hildebrand, Greg Kocken, Nick Butler, Dr. Justin Patchin, Dr. Jason Spraitz, Dr. Paula Kleintjes Neff, Dr. Chris Floyd, Dr. Paul Thomas, Lynn Janik, and Joanne Erickson. I could go on.

Thank you to Patricia and Bernard Duffy Duyfhuizen as well, whose Duyfhuizen Professorship in English provided me the financial support to seek these birds to the best of my ability.

In addition, thank you to Dr. Karen Havholm and the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs at the University of WisconsinEau Claire, whose University Research and Creative Activity grant also proved vital to this project.

Thank you to Brendan Todt, whose correspondence and friendship helped me see beyond the feathers.

To the Wait! What? Writers for your fellowship and feedback.

And finally, a thank you to my familyall rare birds themselveswho not only put up with me, but joined me in craning our necks toward the sky.

Excerpts from this book have been previously published or featured in a variety of publications and media outlets, all of which are listed below alongside their original titles.

Blood Feathers, Prime Number

A Field Guide to Extinction, 45th Parallel

The Hermit and the Hawk, The Rumpus

The Resurrection of the Lord God Bird, Wisconsin People & Ideas

A Tribute to the Passenger Pigeon, Wisconsin Life, Passenger Pigeon, Flyway

What Made a Wisconsin Naturalist Want to Disappear?, Volume One

The Hermit and the Goshawk, Wisconsin Life

The Unnatural History of Wisconsins First Mountain Lion, Flyway

Unsolved Histories: A Bird Lost, A Sketch Found, and a Dream to Bring it Back, Michigan Quarterly Review online

When writing of extinction, one finds oneself continually forced to choose between various accounts of last sightings. While I have selected 1944 as the last confirmed American sighting of the Ivory-billed Woodpecker, others might point to a number of other possibilities, including Gene Sparlings alleged 2004 sighting, Bobby Harrison and Tim Gallaghers alleged sighting days later, or any of the other fifteen or so alleged sightings search teams identified between 2004 and 2005.

The story of the Ivory-billed Woodpecker becomes further complicated when we consider the Cuban Ivory-billed Woodpecker, a subspecies of the Ivory-billed Woodpecker, whose last confirmed sighting occurred in eastern Cuba in 1987. While I have not addressed the Cuban Ivory-billed Woodpecker herein, for those interested in learning more, a number of fine books have been written on the subject.