The New York Times backpedals on the Ivory-bill

In an article published 8/30/05, the New York Times does some major backpedaling on the Ivory-billed Woodpecker (IBWO) story. Earlier this month, they were presenting the IBWO's rediscovery as a confirmed fact; now, it seems they are not nearly so sure.

Here are some snippets that stood out for me (I've added the bold for emphasis):
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Although the public mood at the [AOU] presentations ranged from awe-struck to friendly, there was no unanimity about the evidence.
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Does the bird live or does it not?
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Russell A. Charif of the Cornell Lab, who presented the audio recordings of bird calls and rapping on wood in public for the first time here on Wednesday, said, "What we need, what we need is a photo."

And the coming field season is crucial, Mr. Charif said. "It's make or break, I think."

He added, "Right now we're sort of the heroes, but if we come back next year and don't have something, that's going to be awkward."
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On the positive side, the double knocks sounded as an ivory bill should. But there were more before dawn and after sunset than expected from earlier accounts of the bird's behavior and, Mr. Charif said, it was not possible to rule out other sources for the sounds.

"Our interpretation of these data is that they provide suggestive and tantalizing, but not conclusive, new evidence of living ivory bills in this region," he said.
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[Jerome Jackson] concurs with Dr. Prum on the video. He says that witness accounts are not as conclusive as scientific proof, and he is not convinced by the audio recordings.

Dr. Jackson says that a blue jay could possibly have made the calls, something the Cornell Lab agrees with. As for the double knocks, the characteristic communicative rapping on wood of the ivory bill, he said, "I've heard pileated woodpeckers make that kind of sound, I've heard crows make that kind of sound in breaking open a nut."

Several incomplete or inconclusive lines of evidence do not add up to conclusive evidence, Dr. Jackson said, adding, "The bottom line is we simply can't know yet, we don't have the conclusive proof."

There is a lot at stake here. The Department of the Interior earmarked $10 million for preserving the ivory bill's habitat, and some ornithologists say that other species, like the Kirtland's warbler, are losing out as a result.
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Please read the entire article. I believe free registration is required.