This is the first winter searching season since the ivory-bill's media splash in April. Back then, bird experts were at pains to describe the magnitude of the discovery. The Audubon Society's senior ornithologist, Frank Gill, said then, "It's kind of like finding Elvis."Or at least an Elvis impersonator.
In addition to visual evidence, automatic audio recorders posted at various locations have picked up the distinctive call and double-knock tap of the ivory-bill.Yep, it's distinctive all right. When you hear that ol' distinctive kent call, you can be certain that there's an Ivory-bill nearby!
Well, maybe not certain. It could be a Blue Jay. Maybe a Red-breasted Nuthatch, or possibly a White-breasted Nuthatch. Or maybe a Snow Goose, or a Wild Turkey, a Red-winged Blackbird, a Common Moorhen, an American Coot, or even a Great Blue Heron; or maybe a hunter's Blue-winged Teal call, or maybe someone playing an Ivory-bill tape.
If no one can prove that it's NOT an Ivory-bill, does that mean we have proof that it IS an Ivory-bill?
People have been hearing tantalizing kent-like calls in the US, thousands of times, for 60+ years. In zero percent of those cases, an Ivory-bill has subsequently been found in the area. In 100% of those cases, when the source of the sound was positively identified, it was something other than an Ivory-bill.
If you record a tantalizing kent-like call, by all means thoroughly search the area. If you find nothing, or if you find a Blue Jay making kent-like calls, please don't try to convince us that the recorded sound was "probably an Ivory-bill".
So far, he said, local residents had been supportive.He didn't mention this incident of suspected arson. Overall, I don't think the actions of arsonists/vandals necessarily reflect the views of the general public.
Signs describing the ivory-bill have weathered well in Arkansas, Andrew said. "We have signs that were put up in April that have not one bullet hole in them -- which is a reflection, I think, of the community's reaction to the bird."
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