Bahama nuthatch

The Bahama nuthatch (Sitta pusilla insularis) is a nuthatch endemic to the pine forests of Grand Bahama island in the Bahamas.[2] It is usually considered a subspecies of the brown-headed nuthatch, although some authorities recognize it as a distinct species. It has some notable differences from its mainland counterpart, including a darker brown facial stripe, a longer bill, shorter wings, and a unique warbling call.[3] Research using genetic markers indicates that both species likely diverged around 685,000 years ago.[4]

Bahama nuthatch
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Sittidae
Genus: Sitta
Species:
S. pusilla
Subspecies:
S. p. insularis
Trinomial name
Sitta pusilla insularis
Bond, 1931

It is critically endangered and may already be extinct. Due to its very restricted range, it is highly threatened by habitat destruction and degradation, fires, and hurricane damage. Invasive species may also play a role. A 2007 survey previously indicated that only about 23 individuals remained. The destruction wrought by Hurricane Matthew in 2016 led to fears that the bird was extinct until 2018 when two birds were found.[5][6] However, the extremely destructive effects of Hurricane Dorian in 2019 are feared to have finally finished off whatever was left of the population, especially the historically significant destruction and dramatic saltwater flooding of the Bahamian pineyards from the lingering Category 5 storm.[7]

See also
  • Cozumel thrasher, another endangered Caribbean bird that may have also been wiped out or reduced to critical levels following a devastating hurricane.

References
  1. BirdLife International. 2017. Sitta insularis (amended version of 2016 assessment). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2017: e.T103881687A118622447. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-3.RLTS.T103881687A118622447.en. Downloaded on 06 July 2018.
  2. "Bahama Nuthatch Sitta insularis on critically endangered list". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
  3. "Bahama Nuthatch (Sitta insularis)". www.hbw.com. Retrieved 2018-01-22.
  4. Lloyd, J.D. (2009). "TAXONOMY AND POPULATION SIZE OF THE BAHAMA NUTHATCH" (PDF). Ecostudies Institute.
  5. "he Bahama Nuthatch, Thought to Be Lost to Hurricanes, Is Not Extinct—Yet". Audubon.
  6. "Bird feared extinct rediscovered in the Bahamas". ScienceDaily. Retrieved 2018-08-23.
  7. "Hurricane Dorian May Have Caused a Critically Endangered Bird to Go Extinct".
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