This blog was written by Daniel Engelbrecht on 07 April 2025
In 2015, I found myself aboard a tiny, motorized dinghy as it cut its way through the crystal-clear waters off the coast of Mauritius. The boat navigated past shallow sections where seemingly pristine coral reefs almost met the water’s surface. We were headed toward an idyllic tropical island no more than half a mile (700 meters) off the main island called Île aux Aigrettes. This uninhabited island is a stronghold for several of Mauritius’ endemic species, which have been largely extirpated from the main island due to habitat destruction and the introduction of invasive species. Shortly after docking, I stumbled upon my main target, a pair of Mauritius Olive White-eyes, a species with a total global population of as few as 90–150 pairs. Population viability assessments indicate that this species may be extinct within 50 years (perhaps even within only three generations) at the current rate of decline. At the time, it was the only Critically Endangered species I had seen, and it sparked my interest in the world’s most threatened birds. In this blog, we’ll closely examine the world’s Critically Endangered birds, where they are distributed, how many of them are “gettable”, and which tours to find them on (or where to find them if you wish to travel independently).
According to the Cornell Lab’s Birds of the World, 208 bird species worldwide are listed as Critically Endangered by the IUCN (International Union for the Conservation of Nature). Critically Endangered species are defined as those “facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild.” Birdlife International is responsible for assessing the extinction risk of every bird species worldwide and ranks each species’ risk of extinction according to the IUCN Red List Categories. These categories range from Least Concern species with little risk of extinction, to those with incrementally higher extinction risks in the Near Threatened, Vulnerable, and Endangered categories. Critically Endangered is the final step before extinction in the wild, followed by complete extinction where no living members of the species persist.
It is important to note that Critically Endangered species are not necessarily the most challenging birds to see. Some are relatively easy to see within their localized ranges and may even be common at specific sites. African Penguin, for example, is essentially guaranteed at any of its breeding colonies in South Africa, but has faced alarming declines in its overall population size, hence its classification as Critically Endangered (our Cape Town and Beyond bird-watching tour is a good tour to see this penguin). Other species, like Night Parrot, are some of the most enigmatic birds in the world, with very few documented records.
So, where are the world’s Critically Endangered species found, and how many of them can we see? First, looking through the list of Critically Endangered species, you’ll quickly notice that several species classified as Critically Endangered are perhaps extinct already and have no recent confirmed sightings. Conclusively proving extinction is notoriously challenging, and it is often best to err on the side of caution rather than prematurely labeling a species as extinct. For a species to be classified as extinct, the IUCN notes that “there must be no reasonable doubt that the last individual has died…[and] exhaustive surveys in known or expected habitats, at appropriate times, throughout its historic range have failed to record an individual.” This is no small undertaking; understandably, several species listed as Critically Endangered are possibly extinct. A few examples include (but are not limited to) Crested Shelduck (last seen 1964), Pink-headed Duck (last seen1930s), Himalayan Quail (last seen 1890s), Glaucous Macaw (last seen early 1900s), Makira and Samoan Woodhens (last seen 1929 and 1873, respectively), White-eyed River Martin (last seen 1978), Javan Lapwing (last seen 1939), and the famed Ivory-billed and Imperial Woodpeckers (last seen 1948 and 1956, respectively). A total of 52 of the 208 species listed as Critically Endangered are likely no longer gettable, with no reliable recent sightings or known locations where the species persists (see the table at the end of the blog for a complete list of species that likely are no longer feasible to see). This number is by no means set in stone and is somewhat open to interpretation. If we exclude these species, we can start looking at where to find the world’s realistically still findable (by us birders) Critically Endangered species.
Critically Endangered birds in Africa
In Africa, nine Critically Endangered species occur on the mainland. Beginning in the Horn of Africa, a visit to the lesser-traveled country of Djibouti is required to see Djibouti Spurfowl, while Ethiopia holds Archer’s Lark and White-winged Flufftail – one of Africa’s least known endemic birds. The flufftail also occurs in South Africa, and it is worth bearing in mind that it is extremely unlikely to be seen anywhere within its patchy distribution. The savannas of east and southern Africa are home to Africa’s four Critically Endangered vultures: White-backed, White-headed, Hooded, and Rüppell’s Vultures, the latter not found regularly in southern Africa. The Taita Hills in southeast Kenya need to be visited for the localized Taita Apalis. African Penguin occurs along the southwestern coast of Africa and is best seen in South Africa. A further nine species are found on islands off the coast of Africa. Unfortunately, Botha’s Lark is likely to be “upgraded” (or “downgraded”!) to Critically Endangered, based on a dramatic rapid decline in its population. Rudd’s Lark is also in a perilous situation. For more information about these larks, see the article here.
White-headed Vulture occurs patchily throughout sub-Saharan Africa. Eight of the world’s vulture species are listed as Critically Endangered (four in Africa and four in Asia).
The Indian Ocean island of Mauritius holds Mauritius Olive White-eye, Seychelles has Seychelles Scops Owl, Reunion boasts Reunion Cuckooshrike, and Madagascar is home to Madagascar Fish Eagle and the recently rediscovered Madagascar Pochard. Over in the Atlantic, São Tomé and Príncipe have Sao Tome Ibis, Sao Tome Fiscal, Sao Tome Grosbeak, Principe Thrush, and Principe Scops Owl. Raso Island in the Cape Verdes is the only location in the world for Raso Lark. Sociable Lapwing winters (perhaps formerly) in parts of northeast Africa but is best seen elsewhere. Gough Finch and Wilkins’s Finch occur only on the south Atlantic islands of Gough and Nightingale in the Tristan da Cunha archipelago. Two Critically Endangered seabirds, MacGillivray’s Prion and Tristan Albatross,breed in this archipelago (the former also breeds in the southern Indian Ocean).
Madagascar Pochard was rediscovered in 2006 and has a total global population of less than 50 individuals!
Critically Endangered birds in South America
Moving from Africa and across the Atlantic to South America, we find 35 Critically Endangered species with at least a few recent sightings. Brazil is a treasure trove of Critically Endangered birds, most with minuscule global ranges. A visit to Brazil is essential for Brazilian Merganser, Blue-eyed Ground Dove (photographed for the first time in 2016), Alagoas and Orange-bellied Antwrens, Stresemann’s Bristlefront, Banded Cotinga, Araripe Manakin, Alagoas Tyrannulet and the regal Cherry-throated Tanager.
Peru is the only country in which to see the poorly known Sira Curassow, along with Royal and White-bellied Cinclodes and Maranon Spinetail. Colombia is another heavy-hitter in South America with Blue-billed Curassow, Gorgeted Puffleg, the recently rediscovered Santa Marta Sabrewing, Urrao Antpitta, Chestnut-capped Piha, Santa Marta, and Niceforo’s Wrens, and Antioquia Brushfinch. For Horned Curassow and the endemic duo of Blue-throated and Red-fronted Macaws, one needs to visit the landlocked country of Bolivia.
The Ecuadorian mainland hosts Blue-throated Hillstar, while the Galapagos Islands have Galapagos Petrel, Waved Albatross, Medium Tree, and Mangrove Finches. Chilean Woodstar is found in northern Chile, and Juan Fernandez Firecrown and Masafuera Rayadito occur in the Juan Fernandez archipelago off the Chilean coast. Neighboring Argentina has only one Critically Endangered species, the iconic Hooded Grebe, an inhabitant of Patagonia’s lakes. Great Green Macaw occurs patchily from Ecuador through Central America as far north as Honduras. Trinidad Piping Guan is endemic to the island of Trinidad, where it inhabits humid forests.
The gorgeous Araripe Manakin is restricted to a tiny area in northeast Brazil.
Critically Endangered birds in the West Indies
Several species listed as Critically Endangered in the West Indies have not been seen for decades. The species that can still be seen include Grenada’s only endemic bird, Grenada Dove, the Hispaniolan endemic Ridgway’s Hawk and Puerto Rican and Imperial Amazons, found in Puerto Rico and Dominica, respectively.
Puerto Rican Amazon is endemic to the island of Puerto Rico.
Critically Endangered birds in Central and North America
Central America is home to Yellow-naped Amazon, which occurs from Costa Rica to Chiapas in Mexico. Mexico itself has two Critically Endangered endemics, Short-crested Coquette and Socorro Mockingbird (endemic to Socorro Island), while California Condor occurs in both Mexico and the United States.
Critically Endangered birds in Asia
If we cross the Pacific and venture into Asia, we discover no fewer than 46 Critically Endangered species. Two waterfowl species, White-winged Duck and Baer’s Pochard, have patchy distributions across south and east Asia. The former is probably best seen in northeast India, while the latter is more widespread and occurs from Siberia southwards, throughout much of east and southeast Asia. The bizarre-looking Maleo is endemic to Sulawesi (Indonesia); in fact, several Critically Endangered species can be seen on Indonesia’s islands, like Silvery Pigeon (islands west of Sumatra), Sumatran Ground Cuckoo (Sumatra), Javan Blue-banded Kingfisher (Java), Yellow-crested Cockatoo (Sulawesi and the Lesser Sundas), Citron-crested Cockatoo (Sumba Island), Sangihe Whistler (Sangihe Island), Cerulean Flycatcher (Sangihe Island), Boano Monarch (Boano Island), Banggai Crow (Banggai Island), Sangihe Golden Bulbul (Sangihe Island), Bali Myna (Bali), and Javan Blue Flycatcher (Java).
Similarly, the Philippines are home to many Critically Endangered species, including Black-hooded Coucal, Chinese Crested Tern, Philippine Eagle, Sulu and Walden’s Hornbills, Red-vented Cockatoo, Blue-winged Racket-tail, and Isabela Oriole. Malayan Crestless Fireback is found in both Sumatra and Peninsular Malaysia. The little-known Speckled Reed Warbler is known to winter in the Philippines and breeds in northeast China; however, it is extremely rare.
Maleo is endemic to Sulawesi, where its eggs are laid in geothermal soils and solar-heated beaches.
Straw-headed Bulbul also occurs in Malaysia and Borneo and is reliably found in Singapore. Helmeted Hornbill ranges from southern Thailand to Sumatra and Borneo. The salt pans and mudflats of the Gulf of Thailand are arguably the best locations to see the much-wanted Spoon-billed Sandpiper,and Myanmar is home to the last stronghold of Gurney’s Pitta, now extinct in Thailand, which used to be the most accessible place for finding this gorgeous bird. China must be visited for the localized Blue-crowned Laughingthrush. Yellow-breasted Bunting can be seen in several countries in east and south Asia, including Thailand, Cambodia, Mongolia, and China.
White-shouldered Ibis is one of two Critically Endangered ibises found in Cambodia.
Cambodia is a must-visit for those wishing to see Critically Endangered birds with Bengal Florican, White-shouldered and Giant Ibises, and Red-headed, White-rumped, and Slender-billed Vultures on offer. India also has all three previously mentioned vultures and Bengal Florican in addition to Indian Vulture, Lesser Florican, Great Indian Bustard, Sociable Lapwing, and Bugun Liocichla.The Sundarbans mangrove forest of Bangladesh is regarded as the best site to see Masked Finfoot (read our blog on finding Masked Finfoot here),and Bhutan needs to be visited for a realistic chance at White-bellied Heron. Siberian Crane has a patchy distribution in Asia but is probably best sought in China, Japan, and Mongolia.
Great Indian Bustard may become impossible to see in the near future and is best targeted in northwest India.
Critically Endangered birds in Australasia
In Australia, the eucalyptus forests of the southwest are home to Baudin’s Black Cockatoo, the east has Regent Honeyeater, and the island state of Tasmania is the best place to look for Orange-bellied and Swift Parrots. The mythical Night Parrot occurs in Australia’s arid western and central regions, and although it is essentially impossible to see at the moment, it certainly deserves a mention. New Zealand needs to be visited for Black Stilt, Chatham Islands Shag, New Zealand Storm Petrel, Kakapo, and Malherbe’s Parakeet.
A large number of Critically Endangered species occur on the smaller islands in the Pacific, such as Polynesian Ground Dove, Rapa Fruit Dove, Guam Rail, Marquesan and Niau Kingfisher, Ultramarine Lorikeet, Crow Honeyeater, Tahiti Monarch, Iphis Monarch, Fatu Hiva Monarch, Mariana Crow, Rimatara Reed Warbler, and Rota White-eye. The Hawaiian Islands are home to a number of Critically Endangered species like Laysan Duck, Newell’s Shearwater, Puaiohi, Akikiki, Palila, Nihao Finch, Akohekohe, Maui Parrotbill, and Akekee.
Baudin’s Black Cockatoo is restricted to southwestern Australia.
Critically Endangered seabirds
So far, we have mainly focused on terrestrial species; however, several Critically Endangered pelagic species are spread across the world’s oceans. The Pacific has the lion’s share with New Zealand Storm Petrel, Magenta, Fiji,and Beck’s Petrels, and Townsend’s, Newell’s, Bryan’s, and Rapa Shearwaters. The Indian Ocean is home to the extremely rare Mascarene Petrel, while the Mediterranean and Bay of Biscay are the realm of the Balearic Shearwater.
The role of avitourism in conservation
The pursuit of the world’s Critically Endangered birds is a daunting undertaking but a potentially important one. Many of the protected areas in which these Critically Endangered species occur rely on tourism revenue for their management and long-term preservation. Avitourism may encourage the expansion of existing protected areas or the creation of new ones. In this way, our pursuit of these species can ensure they persist for future generations. With over 60% of the world’s bird species experiencing a downward trend in population size, it is more important than ever for us to support conservation initiatives around the world and visit the places that protect birds.
A summary of the world’s Critically Endangered birds
The table below summarizes the tours on which we target some of the Critically Endangered species mentioned above. At Birding Ecotours, we donate a minimum of 10% of the company’s profits to bird conservation and local communities in an attempt to give species like these a fighting chance.
In addition to the species above, we can arrange private tours to target other Critically Endangered species that are not typically seen on our standard tours. The table below summarizes birds for which we can arrange private tours.
Please do not hesitate to contact us if you would like to find out more about options to see these species.
| Private Tour | Region |
| White-winged Flufftail – only if BirdLife South Africa allows this option in the future, alternative options may exist in Ethiopia | Africa |
| Malayan Crestless Fireback | Asia |
| Sumatran Ground Cuckoo | Asia |
| Black-hooded Coucal | Asia |
| Masked Finfoot – boat trips in Bangladesh’s Sundarbans | Asia |
| Javan Blue-banded Kingfisher | Asia |
| Sangihe Whistler | Asia |
| Isabela Oriole | Asia |
| Cerulean Flycatcher | Asia |
| Banggai Crow | Asia |
| Sangihe Golden Bulbul | Asia |
| Regent Honeyeater – near Sydney so can be an extension to our Birding Tour Australia: from the Outback to the Wet Tropics | Australia |
| Yellow-naped Amazon | Central America |
| Reunion Cuckooshrike | Indian Ocean Islands |
| Blue-eyed Ground Dove | South America |
| Santa Marta Sabrewing | South America |
| Urrao Antpitta | South America |
| Chestnut-capped Piha | South America |
| Santa Marta Wren | South America |
| Niceforo’s Wren | South America |
The birds listed below are currently inaccessible or logistically challenging to see. Gurney’s Pitta, for example, is presently known only from Myanmar and is practically off-limits due to active conflict between armed groups in the country.
Feel free to contact us if you want to be kept in the loop about the possibility of seeing any species in the table below. We will let you know if or when the species becomes more readily gettable.
| Inaccessible or logistically challenging | Region |
| Raso Lark | Africa |
| Djibouti Spurfowl | Africa |
| Silvery Pigeon | Asia |
| Negros Bleeding-heart | Asia |
| Sulu Hornbill | Asia |
| Walden’s Hornbill | Asia |
| Blue-winged Racket-tail | Asia |
| Boano Monarch | Asia |
| Gurney’s Pitta | Asia |
| Speckled Reed Warbler | Asia |
| Blue-crowned Laughingthrush | Asia |
| Javan Pied Myna | Asia |
| Tristan Albatross | Atlantic Islands |
| MacGillivray’s Prion | Atlantic Islands |
| Gough Finch | Atlantic Islands |
| Wilkins’s Finch | Atlantic Islands |
| Magenta Petrel | New Zealand |
| Chatham Islands Shag | New Zealand |
| Kakapo | New Zealand |
| Night Parrot | Australia |
| Mascarene Petrel | Indian Ocean Islands |
| Socorro Mockingbird | North America |
| Short-crested Coquette | North America |
| Townsend’s Shearwater | North America |
| Laysan Duck | Pacific Islands |
| Tooth-billed Pigeon | Pacific Islands |
| Polynesian Ground Dove | Pacific Islands |
| Rapa Fruit Dove | Pacific Islands |
| Guam Rail | Pacific Islands |
| Beck’s Petrel | Pacific Islands |
| Rapa Shearwater | Pacific Islands |
| Bryan’s Shearwater | Pacific Islands |
| Marquesan Kingfisher | Pacific Islands |
| Niau Kingfisher | Pacific Islands |
| Ultramarine Lorikeet | Pacific Islands |
| Tahiti Monarch | Pacific Islands |
| Iphis Monarch | Pacific Islands |
| Fatu Hiva Monarch | Pacific Islands |
| Mariana Crow | Pacific Islands |
| Rimatara Reed Warbler | Pacific Islands |
| Rota White-eye | Pacific Islands |
| Puaiohi | Pacific Islands |
| Akikiki | Pacific Islands |
| Nihoa Finch | Pacific Islands |
| Akohekohe | Pacific Islands |
| Maui Parrotbill | Pacific Islands |
| Akekee | Pacific Islands |
| Sira Curassow | South America |
| Horned Curassow | South America |
| Gorgeted Puffleg | South America |
| Alagoas Antwren | South America |
| Orange-bellied Antwren | South America |
| Tachira Antpitta | South America |
| Stresemann’s Bristlefront | South America |
| Alagoas Tyrannulet | South America |
| Masafuera Rayadito | South America |
| Grenada Dove | West Indies |
| Imperial Amazon | West Indies |
We can arrange private tours for many of the world’s Critically Endangered species that are not gettable on our standard tours, like this Banggai Crow.
This final table summarizes Critically Endangered species that have been excluded from this blog as they are likely no longer gettable. Many of the species below have not been seen in decades and are probably extinct or have very few recent substantiated observations.
| Species | Region | Reason for exclusion |
| Crested Shelduck | Asia | Last seen 1964 |
| Pink-headed Duck | Asia | Last seen mid-1930s |
| Edwards’s Pheasant | Asia | Last wild bird seen in 2000 |
| Vietnamese Crested Argus | Asia | Exceptionally rare, very few documented recent records |
| Manipur Bush Quail | Asia | Last definite records 1932 |
| Himalayan Quail | Asia | Last definite record 1876 |
| Purple-winged Ground Dove | South America | Very few observations, no recent records |
| Mindoro Bleeding-heart | Asia | Very few observations, no recent records |
| Sulu Bleeding-heart | Asia | Last certain records from specimens collected in 1891 |
| Negros Fruit Dove | Asia | Known from type specimen collected 1953 |
| New Caledonian Nightjar | Pacific Islands | Known from type specimen collected 1939 |
| Jamaican Poorwill | West Indies | Not recorded since 1860 |
| New Caledonian Owlet-nightjar | Pacific Islands | Not recorded since 1880 |
| Turquoise-throated Puffleg | South America | Not recorded for at least 150 years |
| New Caledonian Rail | Pacific Islands | Last collected in 1890. Not seen since |
| Zapata Rail | West Indies | Extremely rare, with very few recent records, only found on a two-week scientific expedition in recent years |
| Makira Woodhen | Pacific Islands | Last record was probably 1953 |
| Samoan Woodhen | Pacific Islands | Last record 1873 |
| Javan Lapwing | Asia | Last seen 1939 |
| Eskimo Curlew | South America + North America | No recent records |
| Slender-billed Curlew | Asia + Africa + Europe | Last seen 1995, soon to be uplisted to Extinct, but for now still listed as Critically Endangered on the Birdlife DataZone. |
| Buff-breasted Buttonquail | Australia | No recent observations and poorly understood |
| New Caledonian Buttonquail | Pacific Islands | No recent observations, known from two specimens and fossil remains |
| Jerdon’s Courser | Asia | Fields they used to be seen on got flooded and no new areas relocated at this stage. |
| Guadalupe Storm Petrel | North America | Not seen since 1912 |
| Jamaican Petrel | West Indies | Likely extinct, last seen 1879 |
| Cuban Kite | West Indies | No recent records, may be extinct |
| Siau Scops Owl | Asia | Known from one specimen collected in 1866 |
| Pernambuco Pygmy Owl | South America | No records since 2001, possibly extinct |
| Sangihe Dwarf Kingfisher | Asia | No record since the type series (two birds) was collected in the 1800s |
| Ivory-billed Woodpecker | North America | Last reliably documented evidence in 1938 and 1948 in the United States and Cuba, respectively |
| Imperial Woodpecker | North America | Last documented evidence in 1956 |
| New Caledonian Lorikeet | Pacific Islands | No recent records |
| Red-throated Lorikeet | Pacific Islands | Exceptionally rare with no recent documented records |
| Glaucous Macaw | South America | Very likely extinct; no recent records |
| Kinglet Calyptura | South America | Last accepted record in 1996, likely not extinct |
| Ua Pou Monarch | Pacific Islands | Last definite record 1985 |
| Javan Green Magpie | Asia | Exceptionally rare, with very few recent records |
| Bahama Nuthatch | West Indies | Still listed as Critically Endangered on the Birdlife International DataZone for now, but recent publications indicate that it is extinct. |
| South Island Kokako | New Zealand | Last confirmed record 2007, likely extinct |
| Moorea Reed Warbler | Pacific Islands | Only unconfirmed sightings since 2000, likely extinct |
| White-eyed River Martin | Asia | Last seen 1978, probably extinct |
| Sangihe White-eye | Asia | Very rare, last record 1999 |
| Pohnpei Starling | Pacific Islands | Last specimen collected in 1995, no records since |
| Cozumel Thrasher | North America | Last seen 2006 |
| Rück’s Blue Flycatcher | Asia | Not recorded since 1918 |
| Olomao | Pacific Islands | No recent records |
| Cebu Flowerpecker | Asia | Extremely rare, very few documented records |
| Oahu Alauahio | Pacific Islands | Probably extinct since 1960s |
| Bachman’s Warbler | North America + West Indies | Last confirmed sighting 1961 |
| Semper’s Warbler | West Indies | Last seen 1961 |
| St. Kitts Bullfinch | West Indies | Last seen 1929 |
