Ivory Billed Woodpecker, Chasing a Ghost - Texas Parks and Wildlife [Official]

(sounds of swamp)
(music)
>> TO HAVE A SPECIES BE
EXTINCT AND HAVE A SECOND
CHANCE TO REVIVE IT IS
UNHEARD OF.
(canoe paddles)
>> WERE GOING TO BASICALLY
SEE WHAT WE CAN FIND IN THE
WAY OF IVORY-BILL SIGNS
OR EVEN THE BIRDS THEMSELVES.
(music)
>> THESE BIRDING BIOLOGISTS
ARE LOOKING FOR A GHOST,
THE IVORY-BILLED WOODPECKER,
A BIRD THOUGHT TO HAVE
BEEN EXTINCT.
OR IS IT...
(canoe paddling)
IN EARLY 2004 ALONG THE
CACHE RIVER IN ARKANSAS THIS
VIDEO WAS TAKEN FROM THE
SEAT OF A CANOE.
>> DID YOU SEE IT?
(computer clicks)
>> IT'S FLYING AWAY NOW.
>> JOHN ARVIN IS ONE OF MANY
BIRD EXPERTS WHO HAS
ANALYZED THE FOOTAGE.
>> WHEN YOU CAN SEE THE UNDER
WING YOU SEE A LARGE AMOUNT
OF WHITE ON THE TRAILING EDGE,
SEPARATED BY A BLACK LINE
OF FEATHERS DOWN THE CENTER.
THESE FLIGHT PATTERNS APPEAR
TO SHOW THAT THE BIRD IS IN
FACT AN IVORY-BILLED
WOODPECKER AS OPPOSED TO
A PILEATED WOODPECKER.
>> THIS VIDEO, MULTIPLE
SIGHTINGS, AND ANALYZED AUDIO
RECORDINGS WERE ENOUGH
EVIDENCE BY EXPERTS TO DECLARE
THAT THE IVORY-BILL LIVES.
>> IT WAS AN INCREDIBLE FRENZY;
THE WHOLE ORNITHOLOGICAL
COMMUNITY WAS JUST
ELECTRIFIED BY THIS.
THE BIRD HAD BEEN THOUGHT
EXTINCT FOR 60 YEARS.
>> THE ARKANSAS FOOTAGE
BROUGHT A LOT OF HOPE,
AND IT MADE OTHER STATES
LIKE TEXAS, GET VERY EXCITED,
CAUSE THE CHANCES OF THAT BIRD
BEING ANYWHERE IN THIS
RANGE ARE HIGH!
>> WE'RE GOING TO START IN HERE.
>> SO JOHN ARVIN IS LEADING A
TEAM OF BIOLOGISTS,
INCLUDING JON FREDLAND
AND CORINNE CAMPBELL,
THEIR GOAL TO FIND THE
IVORY-BILLED WOODPECKER
HERE IN TEXAS.
THE SEARCH AREA COVERS PART
OF THE BIRD'S HISTORIC RANGE,
THOUSANDS OF ACRES OF
BOTTOMLAND HARDWOOD FOREST
HABITAT FOUND IN THE BIG
THICKET NATIONAL PRESERVE
OF SOUTH EAST TEXAS.
(red-bellied woodpecker calls)
>> RED-BELLIED AGAIN!
WE'RE LOOKING FOR ANY KIND
OF WOODPECKER SIGN, EITHER
SCALING, ACTUALLY CHIPPING
AWAY AT THE BARK LOOKING FOR
GRUBS FOR FOOD, OR CAVITIES
THAT IT WOULD MAKE A
HOME FOR THE NIGHT.
(pileated woodpecker calls)
>> SOMETHING REALLY JACKED
THAT SNAG UP, IT'S TORN APART.
>> WE FOUND SOME SCALING THAT
LOOKS LIKE WOODPECKER WORK,
IT'S PROMISING.
>> ITS LOOKS PRETTY PITTED
BUT IT IS SCALED ALL
UP AND DOWN!
>> TAKE SOME FOOTAGE OF IT.
>> BY THE END OF THE DAY
THE TEAM SEES PLENTY
OF WOODPECKERS,
BUT NO IVORY-BILL.
(movie projector)
INTENSE LOGGING OF BOTTOMLAND
HARDWOOD FORESTS IN THE LATE
1800'S WIPED OUT MOST OF THE
IVORY-BILL'S HABITAT.
(tree crashes in water)
>> THE DECLINE STARTED WHEN A
LOT OF THESE LARGE FORESTS
WITH LARGE TREES WERE CUT DOWN.
>> THE ONLY FILM EVER TAKEN OF
AN IVORY-BILL WAS CAPTURED IN
1935 IN NORTHEAST LOUISIANA.
>> THE FOOTAGE GIVES US SOME
MOVEMENT, SOME LIFE TO THIS
BIRD AND MOST IMPORTANTLY
SOME VOICE.
(ivory-billed woodpecker calls)
>> MASSIVE SOUND EQUIPMENT
CAPTURED THE ONLY CALLS OF
THE BIRD EVER RECORDED.
>> FOR THE 30'S THIS WAS
CUTTING EDGE, FOR THESE GUYS
TO HAVE THE EQUIPMENT BACK
THEN WAS REMARKABLE.
(ivory-billed woodpecker calls)
(northern flicker calls)
>> IN THE SEARCH AREA THERE
ARE A TOTAL OF EIGHT SPECIES
OF WOODPECKERS, INCLUDING
THE NORTHERN FLICKER,
THE RED-BELLIED,
AND THE RED-HEADED.
BUT THE CLOSEST LOOK-A-LIKE
IS THE PILEATED.
EXTREMELY SIMILAR,
THIS MAKES FINDING THE
IVORY-BILLED WOODPECKER
A BIT OF A CHALLENGE.
>> LOOK AT THE BACK,
AND THERE'S A WHITE BACKPACK
ON THE IVORY-BILLED,
YET IT'S BLACK ON THE PILEATED.
AND BOTH BIRDS ARE CROW SIZED.
SO WHEN YOU SEE A CROW SIZED
WOODPECKER WITH A WHITE BACK
PACK YOU SHOULD GET EXCITED.
BUT MOST PEOPLE ARE SEEING
THE ONE WITH THE BLACK BACK
PACK AND THAT'S THE PILEATED.
(woodpecker calling)
>> IT'S NOW THE MIDDLE
OF THE SEARCH SEASON.
(woodpecker pecks wood)
>> THERE IT IS!
>> I SEE IT THERE!
>> THE TEAM HOPES SOME NEW
TECHNOLOGY WILL HELP SPOT
AN IVORY-BILL.
>> A CAVITY WAS FOUND THE
LAST TIME WE VISITED THIS AREA,
WERE PUTTING A VIDEO CAMERA
UP TO SEE IF WE CAN SEE
ANYTHING THAT LOOKS LIKE
AN IVORY-BILLED.
>> PULL THE SLACK OUT.
>> THIS ISN'T JUST ANY CAMERA;
IT HAS TIME LAPSE CAPABILITIES
AND IS MOTION SENSITIVE.
>> ANY BIRD IS MOST ACTIVE AT
SUNRISE AND SUNSET.
>> GREEN LIGHT!
>> AND IT'S HOPEFULLY GOING
TO CAPTURE A BIRD COMING IN
TO ROOST FOR THE NIGHT.
>> WHAT DO YOU THINK?
>> LOOKS PRETTY GOOD TO ME.
>> ALL RIGHT!
>> AT ANOTHER LOCATION...
>> THIS BLACK GUM RIGHT HERE
WILL PROBABLY WORK FOR US.
>> ...JOHN IS SETTING UP AN
AUTONOMOUS RECORDING UNIT,
WHICH IS SET TO RECORD
AT SUNRISE AND SUNSET.
>> I'VE BEEN ANTICIPATING ITS
ARRIVAL FOR QUITE SOME TIME.
WE HAVE A LONG TIME LOCAL
RESIDENT WHO HAS REPORTED
ACTIVITY AND WE'RE GOING TO
DEPLOY IT AND SEE IF WE
CAN'T PICK UP SOME SOUND.
(carolina wren calls)
>> WHAT'S THE EASIEST WAY
THROUGH THIS MESS?
>> THE TEAM STILL HAS
THOUSANDS OF ACRES TO SEARCH.
THEY HOPE THIS NEW EQUIPMENT
WILL HELP IMPROVE
THEIR CHANCES.
>> WE'RE COVERING THE GROUND
REALLY WELL, WERE GETTING INTO
SOME AREAS THAT NO ONE HAS
EVER BEEN TO PROBABLY BEFORE.
YET WE HAVEN'T SEEN EVIDENCE
THAT WOULD SUPPORT
IVORY-BILLED BEING HERE.
(woodpecker calls)
>> THERE IS ONE SPECIES OF
WOODPECKER THAT IS NOT EXTINCT,
BUT IT IS ENDANGERED.
THE RED-COCKADED WOODPECKER.
>> UNLIKE THE IVORY-BILLED,
THE RED-COCKADED WOODPECKER
HAD ENOUGH NUMBERS AT THE
TIME THAT IT WAS PUT ON THE
ENDANGERED SPECIES LIST,
IN THAT WE HAD
SOMETHING TO WORK WITH,
SOMETHING TO IMPROVE UPON,
SOMETHING TO INCREASE.
>> BIOLOGIST HERE HAVE A
HUGE NURSERY OF SORTS,
AS THEY TRY TO RAISE MORE.
>> COMING UP ON THE
NEST TREE HERE.
>> TO CHECK ON THE ACTIVE
TREE CAVITIES DURING THE
BREEDING SEASON,
THE BIOLOGISTS USE
WHAT'S CALLED A PEEPER CAM.
(robotic camera powers up)
>> MIGHT TAKE A SECOND.
IT'S KINDA A TOUGH ONE TO
GET IN THERE...
THERE WE GO!
I'VE GOT ONE MALE WITH A RED
CROWN PATCH AND WE HAVE A
FEMALE HERE THAT HAS NO
CROWN PATCH ON HER...
WHICH IS GOOD!
TREE 24, THREE CHICKS,
FIFTY FOOTER.
>> ONCE NEW CHICKS HATCH,
THE BIOLOGISTS CLIMB UP TO
THOSE 40 TO 50 FOOT CAVITIES.
>> HOW'S IT GOING UP THERE?
YOU GOT EM YET?
>> TO BAND THE BIRDS,
TO GIVE EACH NEW CHICK
A NAME AND NUMBER.
>> WE TRY TO DO ALL THE
BANDING AND THE CLIMBING
WITHIN 15 TO 30 MINUTES,
BECAUSE WE REALLY DON'T
WANT TO INTERRUPT THE
FEEDING SCHEDULE OF
THESE NESTLINGS.
>> HERE YOU GO MANAGER!
>> THANKS!
LET'S SEE WHAT WE GOT HERE,
THEY LOOK ABOUT NINE DAYS OLD,
GOT THEIR EYE'S SLIGHTLY OPEN,
YOU CAN SEE THE FEATHERS
ARE STARTING TO COME OUT.
IT'S GOING TO BE THE
DARK BLUE OVER MAUVE.
WE COLOR BAND THE BIRDS IN
CASE WE HAVE A SINGLE MALE
THAT HAS ITS OWN TERRITORY
BUT DOESN'T HAVE A MATE.
THAT WAY WE CAN TRACK DOWN
THE FEMALE AND MOVE HER TO
THAT SINGLE MALE,
AND HOPEFULLY THEY WILL
NEST THE FOLLOWING YEAR.
(red-cockaded chirping)
>> THIS IS A GOOD SPOT!
>> FOR THE SEARCH TEAM,
ONE WAY TO TRY AND CAPTURE A
GLIMPSE OF THE IVORY-BILL IS
TO SIT AND PLAY SOME MUSIC,
BIRD MUSIC.
(ivory-billed woodpecker)
>> TURN THE VOLUME UP.
(ivory-billed woodpecker)
DOUBLE KNOCKS!
(ivory-billed woodpecker)
WE USE PLAYBACK TO
CALL IVORY-BILLS IN,
THE IDEA BEING THE BIRD WILL
HEAR ITS OWN SPECIES CALL
AND WANT TO COME
AND CHECK IT OUT
(unzipping backpack)
(camera dings)
>> AND WHILE OUT ALONE WITH
THEIR CAMERAS THEY'VE SEEN
THEIR SHARE OF BIRDS.
(sounds of pileated woodpecker)
>> I SAW A PILEATED DURING
THE PLAYBACK BUT HE DIDN'T
SEEM TO CARE AT ALL ABOUT IT.
HE JUST WENT AWAY WORKING
ON THAT SNAG OVER THERE.
SNAKES ARE OUT AGAIN,
CAN'T SAY I LIKE THAT,
LOT'S OF ACTIVITY ONCE IT
WARMS UP IN THE SWAMP.
(splash of water)
(music)
>> AN IMMENSE FOREST.
>> SPECIES, TUPELO.
>> A TEAM OF BIOLOGISTS
AND ONE BIRD.
(woodpecker pecking tree)
THE ODDS ARE STACKED,
>> SOME CAVITIES ON THAT TREE.
>> BUT THERE IS ALWAYS HOPE.
>> WAYPOINT NAME, CCC.
>> AFTER ALMOST SIX MONTHS,
THE TEAM TRACKED TENS OF
THOUSANDS OF ACRES.
AS FOR THE SOUND RECORDINGS
FROM THE ARU, NOTHING.
AND THE PICTURES FROM
THE REMOTE CAMERA?
>> THERE'S ME AROUND THE TREE.
>> IT LOOKS LIKE YOU ARE
POSING FOR IT... HA, HA, HA!
>> IT DID CAPTURE SOME CRITTERS.
>> THERE'S A DEER!
>> I SEE A SHADOW?
>> THAT'S THE DEER, YAH!
>> BUT AGAIN NO IVORY-BILL.
>> NO, YOU CAN'T TELL
WHAT IT'S DOING?
>> SO AFTER A HALF OF YEAR
IN THE BIG THICKET,
A GHOST IS STILL A GHOST.
>> THERE WAS NOTHING PROMISING,
THAT WE FOUND OUT HERE TO TELL
US THAT THE BIRD IS EVEN
IN THIS STATE AT ALL.
>> BUT LIKE ANY LOST TREASURE,
IT MIGHT BE HIDING
JUST OUT OF SIGHT.
>> IF THERE WAS A BIRD OUT
THERE, I MEAN THERE IS STILL
A HUGE CHANCE THAT IT COULD BE
AND WE DIDN'T SEE IT BECAUSE
ITS PRETTY GIGANTIC AREA WE
WERE COVERING, AND IT WOULD
HAVE TO RELY ON A WHOLE LOTTA
LUCK IF IT HAPPENED TO BE
WHERE WE WERE.
>> AND ALL IS NOT LOST,
THIS SEARCH BRINGS NEW ENERGY
TO THE EFFORTS TO CONSERVE
AND EVEN RESTORE THESE
PRISTINE BOTTOMLAND HARDWOOD
FORESTS OF EAST TEXAS.
(music)