Comments on: The Search for Giant Woodpeckers

By: MK2_Bigfoot

MK2_Bigfoot — Thu, 28 Sep 2006 01:54:59 +0000

Put me down on the list that cares.

By: JJohnston

JJohnston — Wed, 27 Sep 2006 19:10:52 +0000

What is the suposed range of the Imperial Woodpecker? I ask because I think I may have seen one while hunting one moring in East/Central Texas around Lake Limestone. I always find it interesting when we rediscover a supposed extinct species. It makes you wonder in awe at the adaptability of nature.

By: MojoHotep

MojoHotep — Wed, 27 Sep 2006 18:51:57 +0000

“Sticking it out” translates into an extreme ability by an individual species to “Survive” against all odds. It’s habitat destroyed, new chemicals in the environment affected it’s physiology, it had nowhere to run or hide, yet, it survived. You really gotta hand it to a species for having the genetic “Grit” to “stick it out” and pull off the improbable. It adapted and survived. Heck, I don’t just give it credit, I celebrate it’s “True Grit”. It may have been just instinct, but there’s alot of critters that didn’t have that instinct to survive and didn’t.

I am hearing rumors of more pockets of Ivory Bills around the south, in some unexpected places. The verdict is still out though.

By: sschaper

sschaper — Wed, 27 Sep 2006 16:29:09 +0000

I think it is very appropriate for thought-to-be-extinct animals to be included in cryptozoology along with uncatalogued animals.

One of the last preserves of amateur science (amatuer astronomers can detect extrasolar planets via the transit method, and discover comets) still available. And the most like the 19th century explorers clubs.

By: mystery_man

mystery_man — Wed, 27 Sep 2006 15:41:08 +0000

Sky King, I don’t think you understand what I was trying to say. It was a figure of speech. I think these birds did a wonderful job of surviving in a world where species die off all too commonly. Of course they are only doing what they are designed to do, and I admire the fact that they are “sticking it out” as I called it whether they are aware of it or not. I did not mean my comment to be taken so literally.

By: kittenz

kittenz — Wed, 27 Sep 2006 10:57:02 +0000

I suppose that the reason you get fewer comments on, say, recently rediscovered animals is that the news, while it is exciting, does not stir up the kind of controversy that Bigfoot & mystery animal sightings do.

By: EastexQueenB

EastexQueenB — Wed, 27 Sep 2006 05:53:02 +0000

Pileated Woodpeckers are fairly large birds (crow sized) with bright red crests and a red streak coming off the sides of their mouth, along with a black band or “mask” across a white face. They don’t have the white shoulder markings that the Ivory Bill or Imperial do, but share the same black body. They are a pretty impressive size, easily seen and kind of noisy when they’re around.

By: skunkape_hunter

skunkape_hunter — Wed, 27 Sep 2006 04:08:49 +0000

Porkchop,
No I am not pulling anyones leg. As I said I will have to take a closer look the next time I see it, maybe try to get a picture.

The main thing that caught my attention was the size of the bird, it was very large. It did have red on the head, but I will have to get another look to see if it matches these birds. With that said I will probably never see it again now !! LOL

By: Trapster

Trapster — Tue, 26 Sep 2006 23:51:24 +0000

Neat,
I didn’t know they had such a large range, all the way through South Florida and into Cuba. I hope they find some! If I had time I’d love to be part of that search team.

By: LiberalDem

LiberalDem — Tue, 26 Sep 2006 23:32:23 +0000

Loren, we *absolutely* do care. It’s just that there is so much going on in the world - in everyone’s life - that some of us spend less time on one subject than that subject really merits. The rediscovery of any animal which was presumed extinct is thrilling news.