The Slender-billed Curlew was a rare migratory bird that used to fly thousands of kilometers from the steppe woodlands and snow forests of Siberia to its wintering grounds around the Mediterranean. Historical records show that the bird was spotted in different parts of the world, across central Asia, the Middle East, the Mediterranean basin, and the Atlantic coast of north Africa. However, in November 2024, scientists declared the bird officially extinct. This comes as the first documented mainland bird extinction in Europe, North Africa and West Asia.
While the exact cause of its extinction remains unclear, several threats accelerated the bird’s rapid decline: habitat loss due to the modification of ecosystems, excessive hunting, pollution, invasive species, and climate change. By 1994, the bird was listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, and its last confirmed sighting occurred in Morocco in 1995. Shortly after that, the bird stopped returning back to its wintering site. As such, ornithologists began their collaborative search for the remaining populations, only to discover decades later that the Slender-billed Curlew is lost forever.
The loss of this unique bird highlights the immeasurable role birds play in forest ecosystems. They control pest populations, pollinate flowers, disperse seeds, fertilize soils, and recycle nutrients. Birds also serve as bio-indicators of ecosystem health. Shifts in bird populations often signal environmental changes, providing early warnings for urgent conservation action.
Sadly, the extinction of the Slender-billed Curlew is not an isolated case. Since 1500, 164 bird species have ceased to exist. Today, over 1311 bird species are threatened globally with a Critically Endangered, Endangered, or Vulnerable status on the IUCN Red List. In the Mediterranean region alone, 19 avian species are at risk.
One major threat birds face in our region is the illegal killing and capture of wildlife. According to the Preliminary assessment of the scope and scale of illegal killing and taking of birds in the Mediterranean conducted by Bird Conservation International, an estimated 25 million birds from over 450 species are killed or captured illegally in the Mediterranean region every year. With ongoing threats like climate change, habitat destruction, and poaching, should we consider bird extinctions the new normal?
This ecological loss should serve as a wake-up call for the global biodiversity conservation community. In fact, many lessons can be learned from this tragic incident. Through cross-border cooperation, stronger partnerships between scientists and policy-makers, the use of innovative technologies, increased citizen engagement, and robust law enforcement, we can ensure the safety of birds. Together we have the power to reverse declining bird populations and avoid further extinctions. The clock is ticking, but it’s not too late to make a difference.
