Angelshark

Squatina squatina

The Angelshark is an ambush predator, relying on camouflage to surprise its prey.

Pig-nosed Turtle

Carettochelys insculpta

The pig-nosed turtle is prehistoric. This turtle diverged from all other species more than 140 million years ago.

Chinese Giant Salamander

Andrias davidianus

The largest amphibian in the world, this salamander can grow to the size of an adult human.

Pillar Coral

Dendrogyra cylindrus

Pillar coral possesses one of the most distinct morphologies of any coral.

Pygmy Three-toed Sloth

Bradypus pygmaeus

The smallest of the all the sloth species, the pygmy sloth was only described in 2001

Philippine Eagle

Pithecophaga jefferyi

The Philippine Eagle is one of the world’s largest, most powerful birds of prey.

TOP EDGE Birds

More about Birds

Plains-wanderer

Pedionomus torquatus

The Plains-wanderer is an Australian endemic of great scientific interest.

Conservation Attention

Medium

Plains-wanderer Plains-wanderer

Giant Ibis

Thaumatibis gigantea

The Giant Ibis is a huge, striking ibis, unique by virtue of its being the largest member of its family, as well as being the only member of its genus.

Conservation Attention

Low

Giant Ibis Giant Ibis

New Caledonian Owlet-nightjar

Aegotheles savesi

This mysterious species, which has not been since 1998, continues to elude birdwatchers and researchers.

Conservation Attention

Very Low

New Caledonian Owlet-nightjar New Caledonian Owlet-nightjar

California Condor

Gymnogyps californianus

Iconic and intimidating, the California condor is the largest land bird in North America

Conservation Attention

Good

California Condor California Condor

Kagu

Rhynochetos jubatus

The Kagu is a highly unusual, almost flightless bird, which due to its startling ash-white plumage is known locally as the ‘ghost of the forest’.

Conservation Attention

Low

Kagu Kagu

Christmas Frigatebird

Fregata andrewsi

The Christmas Island Frigatebird is the rarest endemic seabird on Christmas Island, Australia.

Conservation Attention

Medium

Christmas Island Frigatebird Christmas Island Frigatebird

Bengal Florican

Houbaropsis bengalensis

This otherwise reclusive bird is best known for its elaborate courtship display, where the male’s black and white plumage is shown off to good effect in short arching display flights, as well as choreographed strutting – with fluffed up neck feathers and a head pumping action, to attract females.

Conservation Attention

Medium

Bengal Florican Bengal Florican

Kakapo

Strigops habroptila

The nocturnal Kakapo or ‘Owl Parrot’ (so called because of its facial disc of owl-like whiskers) is a large, stocky, New Zealand endemic bird.

Conservation Attention

Good

Kakapo Kakapo

Sumatran Ground-cuckoo

Carpococcyx viridis

The Sumatran Ground-cuckoo had not been seen for over 90 years until an individual was trapped in 1997.

Conservation Attention

Very Low

New Caledonian Nightjar

Eurostopodus exul

The New Caledonian Nightjar is known from only a single specimen taken in 1939!

Conservation Attention

Very Low

New Zealand Storm-petrel

Fregetta maoriana

This endemic New Zealand bird is one of the world’s smallest seabirds, weighing just 35g, despite belonging to the same order as the largest; the wandering albatross.

Conservation Attention

Good

South Island Kokako

Callaeas cinereus

The South Island kokako has not been seen since 2007, and may be already extinct.

Conservation Attention

Very Low

New Zealand Rockwren

Xenicus gilviventris

Endemic to New Zealand, this small wren was once found on both the North and the South Island.

Conservation Attention

Very Low

Philippine Eagle

Pithecophaga jefferyi

The Philippine Eagle is one of the world’s largest, most powerful birds of prey.

Conservation Attention

Medium

Philippine eagle Philippine eagle

Tooth-billed Pigeon

Didunculus strigirostris

Nicknamed the ‘little Dodo’, the Tooth-billed Pigeon is one of the closest living relatives to the iconic extinct Dodo.

Conservation Attention

Low

White-shouldered Ibis

Pseudibis davisoni

The White-shouldered ibis is a wading bird of the Threskiornithidae family, possessing the long, downward curved bill typical of this family.

Conservation Attention

Very Low

Black-winged Trumpeter

Psophia obscura

Trumpeters are so called because they call out loudly when alarmed.

Conservation Attention

Low

Psophia obscura, Black-winged Trumpeter Psophia obscura, Black-winged Trumpeter

Spoon-billed Sandpiper

Calidris pygmaea

This little wading bird has an incredible and unique spatula-shaped bill.

Conservation Attention

Medium

Maleo

Macrocephalon maleo

This large, predominantly black and white bird is found on two islands within Indonesia.

Conservation Attention

Low

Hooded Grebe

Podiceps gallardoi

Only discovered in 1974 the Hooded Grebe is found in regions across Argentina and possibly Chile.

Conservation Attention

Medium

Hooded Grebe (Podiceps gallardoi) Hooded Grebe (Podiceps gallardoi)

Black-hooded Coucal

Centropus steerii

This large, dark cuckoo is critically endangered and now has a very limited range and severely fragmented population, surviving in tiny pockets of remaining primary forest.

Conservation Attention

Very Low

Black-hooded Coucal Black-hooded Coucal

Jamaican Poorwill

Siphonorhis americana

The Jamaican Poorwill hasn’t been officially recorded since 1860, though there have been recent unconfirmed reports.

Conservation Attention

Low

Jamaican Poorwill Jamaican Poorwill

Dwarf Ibis

Bostrychia bocagei

The Dwarf Ibis (also known as Dwarf Olive Ibis or São Tomé Ibis) is a small forest dwelling bird found on the island of São Tomé.

Conservation Attention

Low

Dwarf Ibis Dwarf Ibis

Rufous Scrub-bird

Atrichornis rufescens

The Rufous Scrub-bird is a medium-sized ground dwelling bird found in small patches of high altitude rainforest on the east coast of Australia.

Conservation Attention

Low

Rufous Scrub-bird Rufous Scrub-bird

Noisy Scrub-bird

Atrichornis clamosus

This small, essentially flightless bird is found in Western Australia.

Conservation Attention

Good

Male Noisy Scrub-bird Atrichornis clamosus in captivity, Two Peoples Bay Nature Reserve, Western Australia Male Noisy Scrub-bird Atrichornis clamosus in captivity, Two Peoples Bay Nature Reserve, Western Australia

Helmeted Hornbill

Rhinoplax vigil

As recent as 2012 the Helmeted Hornbill was listed as Near Threatened, but in 2015 it was uplisted to Critically Endangered.

Conservation Attention

Low

Helmeted Hornbill Helmeted Hornbill

Junin Grebe

Podiceps taczanowskii

This flightless bird spends most of its time on the open water of Lake Junin, Peru – only going to the shore when nesting.

Conservation Attention

Low

Junin Grebe Junin Grebe

Peruvian Diving-petrel

Pelecanoides garnotii

The Peruvian Diving-petrel flies just above the water surface and often travel straight through waves.

Conservation Attention

Very Low

Peruvian Diving-petrel Peruvian Diving-petrel

Australian Painted-snipe

Rostratula australis

This Australian endemic bird occurs widely but unevenly across the continent.

Conservation Attention

Medium

Australian Painted-snipe Australian Painted-snipe

Guadalupe Storm-petrel

Hydrobates macrodactylus

The Guadalupe Storm-petrel was once abundant on Guadalupe, Mexico in 1906, but the last record of a breeding bird was in 1912.

Conservation Attention

Very Low

Guadalupe Storm-petrel Guadalupe Storm-petrel

Southern Red-breasted Plover

Charadrius obscurus

The Southern Red-breasted Plover is the largest member of its genus at 25cm tall. Its sandy colour camouflages it against the beach and sand dunes of its habitat.

Conservation Attention

Medium

New Caledonian Rail

Gallirallus lafresnayanus

The New Caledonian Rail has not been recorded since 1890, and is believed to have a total population size of below 50 mature individuals, if not extinct.

Conservation Attention

Low

Shoebill

Balaeniceps rex

This large waterbird is unmistakable due to its unique ‘shoe-shaped’ bill which gives it an almost prehistoric appearance – reminding us of birds’ dinosaur ancestry.

Conservation Attention

Good

Shoebill Shoebill

Jerdon’s Courser

Rhinoptilus bitorquatus

For over 85 years, the Jerdon’s Courser was thought to be extinct until it was sensationally rediscovered in 1986.

Conservation Attention

Medium

Jerdon's Courser Jerdon's Courser

Red-headed Vulture

Sarcogyps calvus

The exact purpose of the striking bald head of a Vulture has long been assumed to be a form of protection from infection; as they put their whole heads into carcasses.

Conservation Attention

Low

Red-headed Vulture Red-headed Vulture

Congo Bay-owl

Phodilus prigoginei

Only two records of this beautiful owl exist, both of which were of female birds – the male of the species is yet to be described.

Conservation Attention

Very Low

Congo Bay-owl Congo Bay-owl

Dwarf Tinamou

Taoniscus nanus

This small plump, short-legged tinamou is generally pale buffy-brown with some barring and streaking and with a dark centre of crown and is only able to fly about 50m at one time.

Conservation Attention

Low

Hooded Vulture

Necrosyrtes monachus

The Hooded Vulture is a scruffy looking Old World vulture.

Conservation Attention

Good

Hooded Vulture Hooded Vulture

Javan Blue-banded Kingfisher

Alcedo euryzona

The Javan Blue-banded Kingfisher is endemic to Java, Indonesia.

Conservation Attention

Low

Javan Blue-banded Kingfisher Javan Blue-banded Kingfisher

Sangihe Shrike-thrush

Coracornis sanghirensis

Very little is known about this rare and elusive species, which was only rediscovered in 1985.

Conservation Attention

Very Low

Sulu Hornbill

Anthracoceros montani

The population of Sulu Hornbills is thought to be a shockingly small number of just 27 adults.

Conservation Attention

Very Low

Cuban Kite

Chondrohierax wilsonii

This small raptor has only ever been recorded on the island of Cuba, last being observed in the Humboldt Park on the east of the island.

Conservation Attention

Very Low

Cuban Kite Cuban Kite

Masked Finfoot

Heliopais personatus

The Masked Finfoot belongs to a very small family of tropical birds called the Heliornithidae, consisting of just three species, each allocated to their own genus.

Conservation Attention

Very Low

Masked Finfoot Masked Finfoot

Chapin’s Crombec

Sylvietta chapini

Chapin’s Crombec is only known from three specimens collected in the 1940s on the Lendu Plateau, north-eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.

Conservation Attention

Low

Waved Albatross

Phoebastria irrorata

This large and beautiful bird has a huge wing-span of nearly 2.4 metres!

Conservation Attention

Low

Waved Albatross Waved Albatross

Cebu Brown-dove

Phapitreron frontalis

The Cebu Brown-dove is endemic to the island of Cebu in the Philippines.

Conservation Attention

Low

Eskimo Curlew

Numenius borealis

The Eskimo Curlew was once very abundant and numbered in the hundreds of thousands.

Conservation Attention

Very Low

Eskimo Curlew Eskimo Curlew

Slender-billed Curlew

Numenius tenuirostris

Like all curlews, this species has cryptic (meaning it employs markings and colouration serving to camouflage itself in its natural environment) plumage and a long, down-curved bill.

Conservation Attention

Medium

Slender-billed Curlew Slender-billed Curlew

New Caledonian Buttonquail

Turnix novaecaledoniae

The New Caledonian Buttonquail is only know from the type specimen (the original individual from which this species was described), which is currently in the British Museum.

Conservation Attention

Low

Rufous-headed Hornbill

Rhabdotorrhinus waldeni

This colourful and distinctive bird is one of the most endangered Hornbills.

Conservation Attention

Very Low

Rhabdotorrhinus waldeni,Rufous-headed Hornbill Rhabdotorrhinus waldeni,Rufous-headed Hornbill