List of extinct bird species since 1500

Since the year 1500, about 216 bird species have disappeared from the world. This happened because of things people did, like taking too many birds, destroying where they live, bringing animals that hurt birds, and changing the climate. There are still about 11,000 kinds of birds alive today, but more than 1,480 of them are in danger, and 223 are very close to disappearing.

Birds that cannot fly, especially those living on islands, were often the first to go extinct. For example, in Hawaii, many bird types that lived only there are now gone. On Guam, after a snake called the brown tree snake arrived, over 60% of the island’s native birds disappeared. Birds called rails often lose their ability to fly when they live far away from other places, making them easier to lose.

The dates shown for when these birds went extinct are usually based on the last time someone saw them or collected one. For some birds in the Pacific Ocean, we don’t know exactly when they disappeared because scientists did not visit those islands often. But sometimes, we can know exactly when a bird died out. One example is the San Benedicto rock wren, which vanished when a volcano called Volcán Bárcena erupted.

The year 1500 is used as a starting point because it is when scientists began to carefully record and study animals. Birds that went extinct before this time, like the huge elephant birds and the giant moa, are listed separately. Learning about these extinct birds helps us understand how to protect the ones that are still alive today.

Extinct bird species

Since the year 1500, around 216 bird species have become extinct. The rate of extinction has been increasing due to human activities such as habitat loss, hunting, and the introduction of invasive species. Island species, especially those that cannot fly, are particularly vulnerable.

Labrador duck

Some examples of extinct birds include:

The dodo from Mauritius, which went extinct in the late 1600s due to habitat destruction and introduced predators.
The passenger pigeon of North America, which vanished in 1914 after being hunted extensively.
The Great auk of the North Atlantic, which disappeared in the mid-1800s primarily because of hunting.

Today, about 11,000 bird species exist, but over 1,480 are at risk of extinction, with 223 considered critically endangered. Conservation efforts are crucial to protect these remaining species and prevent further losses.

Extinct/possibly extinct/status unknown bird subspecies

The extinction of bird subspecies is often uncertain, as conservation efforts usually focus on entire species rather than individual subspecies. Information about vulnerable subspecies is often pieced together from regional observations. This list includes many bird taxa that may still exist, but are listed due to factors like lack of recent records, known threats such as habitat destruction, or observed declines.

Palaeognathae

Ratites and tinamous

Struthioniformes

Struthio – ostriches
- Arabian ostrich, Syrian ostrich, or Middle Eastern ostrich, Struthio camelus syriacus (Arabian Peninsula and Near East, West Asia, 1966) The last record of this subspecies of the common ostrich was a dying bird found in Jordan in 1966.

Apterygiformes

Apteryx – kiwis
- North Island little spotted kiwi, Apteryx owenii iredalei (North Island, New Zealand, Southwest Pacific, late 19th century) A doubtfully distinct subspecies of the little spotted kiwi.

Casuariiformes

Dromaius – emus
- King Island emu, Dromaius novaehollandiae minor (King Island, Australia, 1822) An island dwarf subspecies of the emu; extinct in the wild c. 1805, the last captive specimen died in 1822 in the Jardin des Plantes.
- Kangaroo Island emu, Dromaius novaehollandiae baudinianus (Kangaroo Island, Australia, 1827) Another island dwarf subspecies of the emu; extinct since c. 1827.
- Tasmanian emu, Dromaius novaehollandiae diemenensis (Tasmania, Australia, mid-19th century) Yet another island dwarf subspecies of the emu; the last wild bird was collected in 1845, but it may have survived in captivity until 1884. It may be invalid.

Neognathae

Anseriformes

Ducks, geese, swans and screamers

Bering cackling goose, Branta hutchinsii asiatica (Commander and Kuril Islands, North Pacific, either c. 1914 or 1929) A formerly recognized subspecies of the cackling goose which was not distinct from the similar-looking (and still-existing) Aleutian cackling goose (B. h. leucopareia) and is now considered to be invalid.
Rennell Island teal, Anas gibberifrons remissa (Rennell Island, Solomon Islands, Melanesia, c. 1959) A doubtfully distinct subspecies of the Sunda teal which became extinct due to predation on ducklings after the introduction of omnivorous Mozambique tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus).
Niceforo's yellow-billed pintail, Anas georgica niceforoi (Colombia, South America, 1950s) A subspecies of the yellow-billed pintail that has not been recorded since the 1950s.
Borrero's cinnamon teal, Spatula cyanoptera borreroi (Colombia and Ecuador, South America, mid-20th century?) A subspecies of the cinnamon teal known only from a restricted area in the Cordillera Occidental of Colombia, with two records from Ecuador. It was discovered in 1946 and thought to have become extinct by 1956.
Coues's gadwall or Washington Island gadwall, Mareca strepera couesi (Teraina, Line Islands, Kiribati, Central Pacific, c. 1874) This island dwarf subspecies of the gadwall was discovered and named after two immature birds, a male and a female, were shot and killed in 1874 and has not been seen since; there were no records of the bird being on the island before 1874, and it was certainly gone by between the mid-1870s and 1900. An expedition in 1924 that was sponsored by the Bishop Museum of Honolulu, Hawaii failed to find it.

Galliformes

Landfowl or gamefowl

Lake Amik black francolin, Francolinus francolinus billypayni (southern Turkey, possibly Lebanon, 1960s) A doubtfully distinct subspecies of the black francolin.
Sicilian black francolin, Francolinus francolinus ssp. (Sicily, Mediterranean Sea, c. 1869) Another doubtfully distinct subspecies of the black francolin.
Heath hen, Tympanuchus cupido cupido, (New England region, North America, 1932) A subspecies of the greater prairie-chicken.
New Mexico sharp-tailed grouse, Tympanuchus phasianellus hueyi (New Mexico, North America, 1952) A subspecies of the sharp-tailed grouse last recorded in Colfax County in 1952.
Moroccan helmeted guineafowl, Numida meleagris sabyi (Morocco, Northwest Africa, mid- to late 20th century?) A subspecies of the helmeted guineafowl. Reportedly still kept in captivity in Morocco in the late 1990s. Possibly extinct in the wild by 1950; three records from the 1970s may refer to feral-domestic hybrids.

Charadriiformes

Waders, gulls and auks

Turnicidae – buttonquails

Tawi-Tawi common buttonquail, Turnix sylvaticus suluensis (Tawi-Tawi, Sulu Archipelago, Philippines, mid-20th century?) A subspecies of the common buttonquail; it has not been recorded since the 1950s, but there have been few surveys and it may still exist.

Gruiformes

Rails and cranes – probably paraphyletic

Goldman's yellow rail, Coturnicops noveboracensis goldmani (Mexico, late 20th century?) A subspecies of the yellow rail that has not been recorded since 1964 and has lost much of its wetland habitat since then.
Peruvian rail, Rallus semiplumbeus peruvianus (Peru, South America, 20th century?) A subspecies of the Bogotá rail or possibly a distinct species which is known from a single specimen collected in the 1880s. It may still exist.
Macquarie rail, Gallirallus philippensis macquariensis (Macquarie Islands, Southwest Pacific, 1880s) A subspecies of the buff-banded rail.
Raoul Island banded rail, Gallirallus philippensis ssp. (Raoul Island, Kermadec Islands, Southwest Pacific, late 19th century?) Reports of the former occurrence of this subspecies on Raoul seem to be plausible enough, but they may refer to vagrant individuals of another subspecies of the buff-banded rail.
Western Lewin's rail, Lewinia pectoralis clelandi (southwestern Australia, late 1930s?) A subspecies of Lewin's rail not recorded since 1932 despite multiple surveys in the late 20th century.
Assumption Island white-throated rail, Dryolimnas cuvieri abbotti (Assumption Island, Astove Island and Cosmoledo Atoll, Aldabra, early 20th century) A semi-flightless subspecies of the white-throated rail.
Jamaican wood rail, Amaurolimnas concolor concolor (Jamaica, West Indies, late 19th century) The nominate subspecies of the uniform crake declined rapidly and became extinct following the introduction of the small Indian mongoose (Urva auropunctata) to Jamaica in 1872.
Intact rail, Gymnocrex plumbeiventris intactus (Melanesia, 20th century?) A doubtfully distinct subspecies of the bare-eyed rail known from one specimen, c. mid-19th century, either from the Solomon Islands or New Ireland. It may still exist.
Bornean Baillon's crake, Zapornia pusilla mira (Borneo, Indonesia, 20th century?) A subspecies of Baillon's crake known from a single 1912 specimen and not found since; it may be extinct, but the species in general is very hard to find and more often heard than seen.
Moroccan bustard, Ardeotis arabs lynesi (Morocco, Northwest Africa, late 20th century?) A subspecies of the Arabian bustard. Last observed in 1993 at Lac Merzouga / Lac Tamezguidat.
Luzon sarus crane, Antigone antigone luzonica (Luzon, Philippines, late 1960s) A subspecies of the sarus crane which is not always accepted as valid by all authorities, possibly because the existing specimens have not been thoroughly studied since it was first described.

Suliformes

Boobies and related birds

Sulidae – boobies and gannets

Mascarene booby, Papasula abbotti nelsoni (Mauritius and Rodrigues, Mascarenes, mid-19th century) A subspecies of Abbott's booby named in 2023 and known physically only from subfossil bones, but is likely the bird referred to as a boeuf by early settlers; the boeuf was last recorded on Rodrigues in 1832 and likely became extinct following the deforestation of the island.

Pelecaniformes

Pelicans and related birds – possibly paraphyletic

Ardeidae – herons, egrets, and bitterns
- Bonin nankeen night heron, Nycticorax caledonicus crassirostris (Nakoudo-jima and Chichi-jima, Ogasawara Islands, Japan, c. 1890) A subspecies of the nankeen night heron.

Columbiformes

Pigeons, doves and dodos

Madeiran wood pigeon, Columba palumbus maderensis (Madeira, East Atlantic, early 20th century) A subspecies of the common wood pigeon.
Lord Howe pigeon, Columba vitiensis godmanae (Lord Howe Island, Southwest Pacific, 1853) This subspecies of the metallic pigeon was last recorded in 1853 and almost certainly became extinct by 1869.
Tongan metallic pigeon, Columba vitiensis ssp. (Vavaʻu, Tonga, late 18th century?) This subspecies of the metallic pigeon is only known from a footnote in John Latham's General History of Birds and seems to have become extinct some time before 1800; possibly, however, the location is erroneous and the footnote really refers to the still-existing population on Fiji.
Réunion pink pigeon, Nesoenas mayeri duboisi (Réunion, Mascarenes, c. 1700) A subspecies of the pink pigeon, formerly in Streptopelia. There seems to have been at least another species of pigeon on Réunion (probably a blue pigeon species, see above), but bones have not yet been found. It became extinct at the same time as this subspecies did.
Amirante turtle dove, Nesoenas picturatus aldabrana (Amirante Islands, Seychelles, late 20th century) This subspecies of the Malagasy turtle dove survived until at least 1974, after which it was hybridized out of existence through crossbreeding with the introduced nominate subspecies (N. p. picturatus).
Catanduanes bleeding-heart, Gallicolumba luzonica rubiventris (Catanduanes, Philippines, late 20th century?) A subspecies of the Luzon bleeding-heart known from a single specimen collected in 1971. There have been recent reports of this bird and, as much of its forest habitat still remains, it is likely that it may still exist.
Basilan bleeding-heart, Gallicolumba crinigera bartletti (Basilan, Philippines, mid-20th century?) A subspecies of the Mindanao bleeding-heart last reported in 1925 and, given the massive habitat destruction, is likely extinct.
Vella Lavella ground dove, Pampusana jobiensis chalconota (Vella Lavella, Makira and Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands, Melanesia, late 20th century?) A subspecies of the white-breasted ground dove or possibly a distinct species. Known from only four specimens; there are no recent records and the natives report that it has disappeared.
White-headed Polynesian ground dove, Pampusana erythroptera albicollis (Central Tuamotu Islands, South Pacific, 20th century?) This subspecies of the Polynesian ground dove, often referred to as P. e. pectoralis, became extinct at an undetermined date, but it may still exist on some unsurveyed atolls. The identity of the northern Tuamotu Islands population, which may also possibly still exist, is undetermined to date.
Ebon crimson-crowned fruit dove, Ptilinopus porphyraceus marshallianus (Ebon?, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, late 19th century?) A subspecies of the crimson-crowned fruit dove of doubtful validity known from a single specimen collected in 1859; it is not certain whether or not this bird actually did occur on Ebon. All that can be said with certainty is that this subspecies is no longer found anywhere.
Mauke lilac-crowned fruit dove, Ptilinopus rarotongensis "byronensis" (Mauke, Cook Islands, South Pacific, mid- or late 19th century) A subspecies of the lilac-crowned fruit dove known only from the description of a now-lost specimen. The prehistorically extinct population on Mangaia likely belongs to another distinct subspecies also.
Negros spotted imperial pigeon, Ducula carola nigrorum (Negros and probably Siquijor, late 20th century?) A subspecies of the spotted imperial pigeon not recorded since the 1950s.
Norfolk pigeon, Hemiphaga novaeseelandiae spadicea (Norfolk Island, Southwest Pacific, early 20th century) A subspecies of the kererū or New Zealand pigeon not recorded since 1900. Similar birds were reported from Lord Howe Island; these seem to represent another extinct subspecies, but are undescribed to date.
Raoul Island pigeon, Hemiphaga novaeseelandiae ssp. nov. (Raoul Island, Kermadec Islands, South Pacific, 19th century) Another undescribed subspecies of the kererū or New Zealand pigeon or possibly a distinct species; known from subfossil bones and a brief report.

Cuculiformes

Cuckoos

Greater crested coua, Coua cristata maxima (southeastern Madagascar, late 20th century?) A subspecies of the crested coua, known only from a single specimen taken in 1950. It may be a hybrid but if it is not, it is probably extinct.
Assumption Island coucal, Centropus toulou assumptionis (Assumption Island, Seychelles, early 20th century) A subspecies of the Malagasy coucal last recorded in 1906. It is sometimes considered synonymous with the still-existing Aldabra coucal (C. t. insularis), which has since recolonized Assumption Island.
Cabo San Lucas groove-billed ani, Crotophaga sulcirostris pallidula (Mexico, c. 1940) A weakly differentiated and probably invalid subspecies of the groove-billed ani.
Bahia rufous-vented ground cuckoo, Neomorphus geoffroyi maximiliani (eastern Brazil, South America, mid-20th century?) A subspecies of the rufous-vented ground cuckoo.

Strigiformes

True owls, barn owls and bay owls

Strigidae – true owls

Sulu reddish scops owl, Otus rufescens burbidgei (Sulu, Philippines, mid-20th century) A subspecies of the reddish scops owl only known from a single questionable specimen. It may be invalid.
Virgin Islands owl, Gymnasio nudipes newtoni (Virgin Islands, West Indies, 20th century?) A subspecies of the Puerto Rican owl of somewhat doubtful validity, which occurred on several of the Virgin Islands. The last reliable records were in 1860; there were a number of unconfirmed reports during the 20th century, but it was not found in thorough surveys in 1995.
Socorro elf owl, Micrathene whitneyi graysoni (Socorro, Revillagigedo Islands, Mexico, mid-20th century?) A subspecies of the elf owl officially classified as critically endangered. The last specimen was taken in 1932, but there was apparently still a large population in 1958; it was not found in subsequent surveys and it appears to have become extinct.
Antiguan burrowing owl, Athene cunicularia amaura (Antigua, Saint Kitts and Nevis, West Indies, 1903) A subspecies of the burrowing owl, last collected in 1890 and extinct by 1903.
Guadeloupe burrowing owl, Athene cunicularia guadeloupensis (Guadeloupe and Marie-Galante, West Indies, 1890) Another subspecies of the burrowing owl, extinct by 1890.
Lord Howe boobook Ninox novaeseelandiae albaria (Lord Howe Island, Southwest Pacific, 1950s) A subspecies of the morepork last recorded in the 1950s.
Norfolk boobook, Ninox novaeseelandiae undulata (Norfolk Island, Southwest Pacific, 1996) Individuals of the nominate subspecies of the morepork, the New Zealand boobook (N. n. novaeseelandiae) (North Island, South Island and Stewart Island, New Zealand) were introduced to Norfolk Island in a last-ditch effort to save the Norfolk boobook from extinction. There now exists a hybrid population of a few dozen birds; the last certainly distinct individual of N. n. undulata, a female named Miamiti, died in 1996, though hybrid individuals descended from her remain. Technically, therefore, this subspecies still exists.

Tytonidae – barn owls and bay owls

Cave-nesting masked owl, Tyto novaehollandiae troughtoni (Nullarbor Plain, Australia, 1960s) Doubtfully distinct from the nominate subspecies of the Australian masked owl, but differed behaviorally.
Buru masked owl, Tyto sororcula cayelii (Buru, Indonesia, mid-20th century?) A subspecies of the Moluccan masked owl last recorded in 1921; the identity of a similar bird found on Seram remains to be determined. It may still exist, as an owl matching this bird's description was encountered in August 2006.
Peleng masked owl, Tyto rosenbergii pelengensis (Peleng, Banggai Islands, Indonesia, mid-20th century) A subspecies of the Sulawesi masked owl or a distinct species. It may possibly still exist, but the only known specimen was taken in 1938 and there have been no further records since then.
Samar bay owl, Phodilus badius riverae (Samar, Philippines, mid-20th century) A subspecies of the Oriental bay owl or possibly a distinct species. Its taxonomy is doubtful, but the only known specimen was lost in a 1945 bombing raid, so its validity cannot be verified; no population exists on Samar today.

Apodiformes

Swifts and hummingbirds

Miravalles indigo-capped hummingbird, Saucerottia cyanifrons alfaroana (Costa Rica, Central America, 20th century?) This subspecies of the indigo-capped hummingbird is only known from a specimen collected in Costa Rica in 1895. It is likely to have become extinct since then.
Alejandro Selkirk firecrown, Sephanoides fernandensis leyboldi (Alejandro Selkirk Island, Juan Fernández Islands, Southeast Pacific, 1908) A subspecies of the Juan Fernández firecrown last recorded in 1908.
Luzon Whitehead's swiftlet, Aerodramus whiteheadi whiteheadi (Luzon, Philippines, 20th century?) The nominate subspecies of Whitehead's swiftlet is only known from four specimens collected at Mount Data in 1895. Because of the lack of further records and massive habitat destruction, it is usually considered extinct. Given the size of the island, though, it may still exist.

Coraciiformes

Kingfishers and related birds

Sangihe dwarf kingfisher, Ceyx fallax sangirensis (Sangihe Islands, Indonesia, 1998?) This subspecies of the Sulawesi dwarf kingfisher was last seen in 1997 but not during a thorough survey one year later; it is either close to extinction or already extinct. Sometimes it is said to occur on the Talaud Islands also, but this is erroneous.
Guadalcanal little kingfisher, Ceyx pusillus aolae (Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands, Melanesia, ?) A subspecies of the little kingfisher.
Rarotonga kingfisher, Todiramphus cf. tutus (Rarotonga, Cook Islands, South Pacific, mid-1980s?) There exist reports of locals that kingfishers – probably a subspecies of the chattering kingfisher (Todiramphus tutus) which is found on neighboring islands, but possibly vagrants from there – were found until around 1979 and there is a last record from 1984. Presently, no kingfishers are known to exist on Rarotonga.
"Ryukyu kingfisher", "Todiramphus cinnamominus miyakoensis" (Miyako-jima, Ryukyu Islands, Japan, late 19th century) Previously considered as a distinct species, then reclassified as a subspecies of the Guam kingfisher. Only seen once by scientists in 1887; the specimen taken is somewhat damaged, making identification by anything other than molecular analysis difficult. It is now thought likely that the specimen came from Guam, where the aforementioned species was distributed, rather than Miyako-jima, which would make this subspecies invalid (it was declared invalid by the International Ornithological Congress in 2022).
Sakarha pygmy kingfisher, Corythornis madagascariensis dilutus (southwestern Madagascar, late 20th century?) This subspecies of the Madagascar pygmy kingfisher is only known from one specimen taken in 1974 in an area where most of its habitat had already been destroyed. However, there have been records of the species (or an uncertain subspecies) from near the type locality, suggesting it is likely that it may still exist.
Ticao hornbill, Penelopides panini ticaensis (Ticao, Philippines, 1970s) A subspecies of the Visayan hornbill of somewhat uncertain taxonomic status (it was possibly either a distinct species or a color morph); the last confirmed report was in 1971 and it became extinct shortly thereafter.

Piciformes

Woodpeckers and related birds

Grand Bahama West Indian woodpecker, Melanerpes superciliaris bahamensis (Grand Bahama, Bahamas, 1950s) A subspecies of the West Indian woodpecker of somewhat uncertain validity.
Guadalupe red-shafted flicker, Colaptes auratus rufipileus (Guadalupe Island, East Pacific, c. 1906) A subspecies of the northern flicker (formerly considered to be a subspecies of the red-shafted flicker as C. cafer rufipileus), it was last recorded in 1906 and not found again in both 1911 and 1922. It may be invalid. Recently, vagrant birds of a mainland red-shafted northern flicker subspecies (which one is unknown) have begun recolonizing the island as the habitat improved after the extirpation of feral goats in 2006.
Todd's brown jacamar, Brachygalba lugubris phaeonota (Brazil, South America, late 20th century?) A subspecies of the brown jacamar. It may still exist, as it is only known from a remote and seldom-visited area.
Cebu white-bellied woodpecker, Dryocopus javensis cebuensis (Cebu, Philippines, 20th century) A subspecies of the white-bellied woodpecker known only by three specimens collected before 1900.

Accipitriformes

Birds of prey

Cape Verde kite, Milvus (milvus) fasciicauda (Cape Verde Islands, East Atlantic, 2000) Considered either a subspecies of the red kite (Milvus milvus), a distinct species, or a hybrid between the red kite and the black kite (Milvus migrans), the validity of this taxon has recently been questioned on the basis of molecular analysis; however, hybridization and a confusing molecular phylogeny of red kite populations, coupled with the distinct phenotype of the Cape Verde birds, suggest that the taxonomic status of this form is far from resolved.
Car Nicobar sparrowhawk, Tachyspiza butleri butleri (Car Nicobar, Nicobar Islands, India, 20th century?) The nominate subspecies of the Nicobar sparrowhawk – a species which is itself currently classified as vulnerable – is possibly extinct. It was last reliably recorded in 1901 and, despite surveys, has not been sighted after an unconfirmed record in 1977; however, the species is known for being very shy and a population may persist unrecorded.

Falconiformes

True falcons and caracaras

Volcano Islands peregrine falcon, Falco peregrinus furuitii (Iwo Jima and Torishima, Ogasawara Islands, Japan, 1940s) A subspecies of the peregrine falcon from the Ogasawara Islands. No sightings have been reported since 1945. A survey in 1982 failed to find it.

Psittaciformes

Parrots

Sinú parakeet, Pyrrhura subandina subandina (Sinú Valley, Colombia, South America, mid-20th century?) The nominate subspecies of the Subandean parakeet had a very limited distribution and was last reliably recorded in 1949. It was not found during surveys in 2004 and 2005; efforts to find it continue, but are hampered by the threat of armed conflict.
Sangir red-and-blue lory, Trichoglossus histrio histrio (Sangir Archipelago, Indonesia, 1990s?) The nominate subspecies of the red-and-blue lory was hybridized out of existence through crossbreeding with escaped captive individuals of its only other still-existing subspecies, Challenger's red-and-blue lory (T. h. challengeri), with the last certainly distinct individuals disappearing in the 1990s or even much earlier than that.
Macquarie red-crowned parakeet, Cyanorhamphus novaezelandiae erythortis (Macquarie Island, Southwest Pacific, 1890s) A subspecies of the red-crowned parakeet last recorded in 1890 and not found by surveys in 1894.
Réunion parakeet, Psittacula eques eques (Réunion, Mascarenes, mid-18th century) Known only from a painting and descriptions; the nominate subspecies of the echo parakeet, with the only other one being the still-existing Mauritius parakeet (P. e. echo).
Siquijor hanging parrot, Loriculus philippensis siquijorensis (Siquijor, Philippines, 20th century?) A subspecies of the Philippine hanging parrot or colasisi; it is either very rare or already extinct.
Sinú brown-throated parakeet, Eupsittula pertinax griseipecta (Sinú Valley, Colombia, South America, mid- or late 20th century?) A subspecies of the brown-throated parakeet known from only two specimens collected in 1949 which are of unclear taxonomic and conservation status.
Culebra Island amazon, Amazona vittata gracilipes (Culebra Island, West Indies, early 20th century) A weakly differentiated subspecies of the Puerto Rican amazon, which is itself highly endangered.

Passeriformes

Perching birds

Pittidae – pittas

Bougainville black-faced pitta, Pitta anerythra pallida (Bougainville, Solomon Islands, Melanesia, mid-20th century?) A subspecies of the black-faced pitta. Once common on Bougainville; not recorded since 1938, but it is likely to have been overlooked.
Choiseul black-faced pitta, Pitta anerythra nigrifrons (Choiseul, Solomon Islands, Melanesia, late 20th century?) Another subspecies of the black-faced pitta. Not found during recent surveys; doubtful records from nearby islands, but it is also likely to have been overlooked.

Tyrannidae – tyrant flycatchers

Bogotá bearded tachuri, Polystictus pectoralis bogotensis (Bogotá area, Colombia, South America, 20th century) A subspecies of the bearded tachuri that has not been recorded for some time and is now extinct.
Grenadan Euler's flycatcher, Lathrotriccus euleri flaviventris (Grenada, West Indies, 1950s?) A subspecies of Euler's flycatcher formerly known as Empidonax euleri johnstoni. It has not been recorded since the 1950s.

Furnariidae – ovenbirds

Peruvian scale-throated earthcreeper, Upucerthia dumetaria peruana (Peru, South America, 20th century?) A subspecies of the scale-throated earthcreeper; it is known only from two specimens taken in the early 1950s at Puno, Peru and has not been seen or found since. It may still exist, as there is no obvious reason why it should have become extinct.
Northern stripe-crowned spinetail, Cranioleuca pyrrhophia rufipennis (northern Bolivia, South America, 20th century?) A subspecies of the stripe-crowned spinetail known only from a few specimens and not recorded since the 1950s; it may be endangered or possibly extinct.

Formicariidae – antpittas and antthrushes

Northern giant antpitta, Grallaria gigantea lehmanni (Colombia, South America, 20th century?) A subspecies of the giant antpitta (or possibly of the great antpitta (Grallaria excelsa), in which case it would be G. e. lehmanni) apparently not recorded since the 1940s. It may still exist in Puracé National Natural Park, where there is plentiful habitat remaining.
Antioquia brown-banded antpitta, Grallaria milleri gilesi (Antioquia, Colombia, South America, 20th century?) A subspecies of the brown-banded antpitta recently described from a specimen collected in 1878. It has not been recorded since, despite surveys at a number of likely locations.

Maluridae – Australasian wrens

MacDonnell Ranges thick-billed grasswren, Amytornis modestus modestus (Northern Territory, Australia, 1936) The nominate subspecies of the thick-billed grasswren. The last record was a clutch of eggs that was taken in 1936.
Namoi thick-billed grasswren, Amytornis modestus inexpectatus (New South Wales, Australia, 1886) Another subspecies of the thick-billed grasswren last recorded in 1886.
Large-tailed grasswren, Amytornis textilis macrourus (Western Australia, 1910) A subspecies of the western grasswren last collected in 1910 and extinct since then.

Dasyornithidae – bristlebirds

Western rufous bristlebird, Dasyornis broadbenti littoralis (Australia, mid-20th century) A subspecies of the rufous bristlebird not recorded since 1940 despite a number of surveys since then, beginning in the 1970s.

Acanthizidae – Australasian warblers, scrubwrens, thornbills and gerygones

King Island brown thornbill, Acanthiza pusilla archibaldi (King Island, Australia, likely extant) A subspecies of the brown thornbill which has only been recorded about 10 times since its discovery and is considered extinct by some authorities. The latest record comes from 2002, suggesting that a population of between 20 and 50 birds is likely to still exist, but if it does, it is very rare.

Petroicidae – Australasian robins

Tiwi Islands hooded robin, Melanodryas cucullata melvillensis (Tiwi Islands, Australia, 1992) A subspecies of the hooded robin last observed in 1992 and not found in exhaustive surveys later in the 1990s.

Cinclosomatidae – whipbirds and allies

Mount Lofty spotted quail-thrush, Cinclosoma punctatum anachoreta (Australia, mid-1980s?) A subspecies of the spotted quail-thrush last recorded in 1983 and not found in a survey in 1984.

Artamidae – woodswallows, currawongs and allies

Western pied currawong, Strepera graculina ashbyi (Victoria, Australia, 1927) This subspecies of the pied currawong has been hybridized out of existence by crossbreeding with other subspecies, which probably came into contact with it following habitat destruction in the 1830s. The last certainly distinct individuals were recorded in 1927.

Monarchidae – monarch flycatchers and paradise flycatchers

Negros celestial monarch, Hypothymis coelestis rabori (Negros and possibly Sibuyan, Philippines, late 20th century?) A subspecies of the celestial monarch; not uncommon on Negros in 1959, but not recorded since then. A single Sibuyan specimen from an unspecified locality that was taken in the 19th century is the only record for this island.
Hiva Oa monarch, Pomarea mendozae mendozae (Hiva Oa and Tahuata, Marquesas Islands, South Pacific, late 20th century) The nominate subspecies of the Marquesan monarch which was very rare by 1974 and not found during multiple surveys in the 1990s.

Rhipiduridae – fantails

Lord Howe fantail, Rhipidura fuliginosa cervina (Lord Howe Island, Southwest Pacific, c. 1924) A subspecies of the New Zealand fantail that was considered virtually extinct in 1924 and not found by surveys four years later.
Guam rufous fantail, Rhipidura versicolor uraniae (Guam, Marianas, West Pacific, 1984) A subspecies of the Micronesian rufous fantail; a conspicuous bird which has not been recorded since 1984.

Campephagidae – cuckooshrikes and trillers

Cebu bar-bellied cuckooshrike, Coracina striata cebuensis (Cebu, Philippines, early 20th century) A subspecies of the bar-bellied cuckooshrike not recorded since its collection in 1906.
Maros cicadabird, Edolisoma tenuirostre edithae (Sulawesi, Indonesia, mid-20th century) A subspecies of the Sahul cicadabird known from a single specimen collected in 1931; this was quite possibly just a vagrant individual.
Cebu blackish cuckooshrike, Edolisoma coerulescens altera (Cebu, Philippines, 20th century?) A subspecies of the blackish cuckooshrike; it may still exist, as this bird is rather unmistakable, and a 1999 record is therefore likely to be valid, though surveys since then have failed to find it.
Marinduque blackish cuckooshrike, Edolisoma coerulescens deschauenseei (Marinduque, Philippines, late 20th century?) Another subspecies of the blackish cuckooshrike; described from specimens collected in 1971, but apparently not seen since then. As few ornithologists have visited Marinduque and forest still remains on the island, it is likely that it may still exist.
Norfolk long-tailed triller, Lalage leucopyga leucopyga (Norfolk Island, Southwest Pacific, 1942) The nominate subspecies of the long-tailed triller.

Oriolidae – Old World orioles and allies

Cebu dark-throated oriole, Oriolus xanthonotus assimilis (Cebu, Philippines, 20th century?) A subspecies of the dark-throated oriole not confirmed since 1906, though there were unconfirmed reports c. 2001, suggesting a possibility that it may still exist.

Corvidae – crows, ravens, jays and magpies

Pied raven, Corvus corax varius morpha leucophaeus (Faroe Islands, North Atlantic, 1902) A distinct local white-with-black-markings and light brown-billed color morph of the North Atlantic raven, a subspecies of the common raven, found only on the Faroe Islands and not seen since 1902. Birds currently living on the Faroe Islands and on Iceland (the only other area in this subspecies' range) are all-black and black-billed; this still-existing color morph's scientific name is Corvus corax varius morpha typicus.

Regulidae – kinglets

Guadalupe ruby-crowned kinglet, Cortylio calendula obscurus (Guadalupe Island, East Pacific, 20th century) A subspecies of the ruby-crowned kinglet that has not been recorded since 1953.

Hirundinidae – swallows and martins

Jamaican golden swallow, Tachycineta euchrysea euchrysea (Jamaica, West Indies, c. 1990?) The nominate subspecies of the golden swallow; endemic to Jamaica. The last major roost site was destroyed in 1987 and the last confirmed sighting was in 1989. It may still exist in the Cockpit Country.

Phylloscopidae – phylloscopid warblers or leaf warblers

Eastern Canary Islands chiffchaff, Phylloscopus canariensis exsul (Lanzarote and possibly Fuerteventura, Canary Islands, East Atlantic, 20th century?) A subspecies of the Canary Islands chiffchaff; it was probably extinct by 1986.

Acrocephalidae – acrocephalid warblers or reed warblers, brush warblers, swamp warblers, marsh-warblers and tree-warblers

Marshall Islands reed warbler, Acrocephalus rehsei ssp.? (Marshall Islands, Micronesia, c. 1880?) Oral tradition and some early reports mention a bird called the annañ which inhabited some of the Marshall Islands. The best match is the Nauru reed warbler; the annañ might have been an undescribed subspecies of that species or a distinct but related species of reed warbler.
Laysan millerbird, Acrocephalus familiaris familiaris (Laysan, Hawaiian Islands, late 1910s) The nominate subspecies of the millerbird.

Pycnonotidae – bulbuls

Sumatran blue-wattled bulbul, Brachypodius nieuwenhuisii inexspectatus (Sumatra, Indonesia, late 20th century?) A subspecies of the blue-wattled bulbul known only from a single specimen taken in 1937; however, the entire "species", including this subspecies, may actually be a hybrid.

Cisticolidae – cisticolid warblers

Northern white-winged apalis, Apalis chariessa chariessa (Kenya, East Africa, late 20th century?) The nominate subspecies of the white-winged apalis remains known only from the Tana River, a center of endemism. It was last recorded in 1961.
Western Turner's eremomela, Eremomela turneri kalindei (Democratic Republic of the Congo, Central Africa, possibly Uganda, East Africa, late 20th century?) The western subspecies of Turner's eremomela has not been recorded since the end of the 1970s, but there is unsurveyed habitat in its range where it is likely that it may still exist.

Sylviidae – sylviid ("true") warblers and allies

Vanua Levu long-legged thicketbird, Cincloramphus rufus clunei (Vanua Levu, Fiji, late 20th century?) A subspecies of the long-legged thicketbird; it was found only once, but there was an unconfirmed sighting in 1990, suggesting that it may still exist. Its placement in Sylviidae is doubtful.
Fayyum warbler, Curruca melanocephala norissae (Egypt, Northeast Africa, 1939) A doubtfully distinct subspecies of the Sardinian warbler. It has not been recorded since 1939.

Zosteropidae – white-eyes; probably belong in Timaliidae (see below)

Guam bridled white-eye, Zosterops conspicillatus conspicillatus (Guam, Marianas, West Pacific, 1983) The nominate subspecies of the bridled white-eye or possibly a monotypic species. It was last recorded in 1983.
Mukojima white-eye, Apalopteron familiare familiare (Mukojima Group, Ogasawara Islands, Japan, 20th century?) The nominate subspecies of the Bonin white-eye (formerly known as the "Bonin honeyeater") which has not been recorded since its last specimen was collected in 1930.

Timaliidae – Old World babblers

Vanderbilt's babbler, Malacocincla sepiaria vanderbilti (Sumatra, Indonesia, late 20th century?) An enigmatic subspecies of Horsfield's babbler known from a single specimen. It has not been seen since the 1940s at the latest.
Burmese Jerdon's babbler, Chrysomma altirostre altirostre (Myanmar, Southeast Asia, 20th century?) The nominate subspecies of Jerdon's babbler was last confirmed in 1941, but as there has been little fieldwork in its range and a possible sighting occurred in 1994, it is considered likely that it may still exist.

Macrosphenidae – African warblers

Chapin's white-browed crombec, Sylvietta leucophrys chapini (Democratic Republic of the Congo, Central Africa, late 20th century?) A subspecies of the white-browed crombec or possibly a distinct species. Restricted to the Lendu Plateau; it is probably rare, though unsurveyed forest remains and it is likely that it may still exist.

Troglodytidae – wrens

San Benedicto rock wren, Salpinctes obsoletus exsul (San Benedicto, Revillagigedo Islands, Mexico, 1952) A subspecies of the rock wren which became extinct on August 1, 1952 at c. 9:00 AM, when its island habitat was destroyed by a massive volcanic eruption.
Guadalupe Bewick's wren, Thryomanes bewickii brevicauda (Guadalupe Island, East Pacific, late 1890s?) A subspecies of Bewick's wren. An extinction date of "1903" seems to be in error; the last unquestionable record dates from 1897 and a thorough search in 1901 failed to record it.
San Clemente Bewick's wren, Thryomanes bewickii leucophrys (San Clemente Island, East Pacific, 1941) Another subspecies of Bewick's wren last recorded in 1941.
Daito wren, Troglodytes troglodytes orii (Daito Islands, Japan, c. 1940) A disputed subspecies of the Eurasian wren; it is known from a single specimen that may have been a vagrant individual and, therefore, it is possibly invalid.
Martinique Kalinago wren, Troglodytes martinicensis martinicensis (Martinique, West Indies, c. 1890) The nominate subspecies of the Kalinago wren that was last found in 1886.
Guadeloupe Kalinago wren, Troglodytes martinicensis guadeloupensis (Guadeloupe, West Indies, late 20th century?) Another subspecies of the Kalinago wren that was found in 1914, 1969 and the 1970s; now either very rare or already extinct.

Paridae – tits, chickadees and titmice

Daito varied tit, Sittiparus varius orii (Daito Islands, Japan, 1938) A subspecies of the varied tit last recorded in 1938 and not found in subsequent surveys in 1984 and 1986.
Zagros coal tit, Periparus ater phaeonotus (Zagros Mountains, southwestern Iran, 1870) A subspecies of the coal tit only known by the type specimen from 1870.

Cinclidae – dippers

Cyprus white-throated dipper, Cinclus cinclus olympicus (Cyprus, Mediterranean Sea, 1945) A formerly recognized subspecies of the white-throated dipper that is now considered invalid. It became extinct in 1945.

Muscicapidae – Old World flycatchers and chats

Tonkean jungle flycatcher, Cyornis colonus subsolanus (Sulawesi, Indonesia, late 20th century?) A subspecies of the Sula jungle flycatcher that is known from a single specimen. It may be invalid.
Chinijo stonechat, Saxicola dacotiae murielae (Chinijo Archipelago, Canary Islands, East Atlantic, early 20th century) A subspecies of the Canary Islands stonechat.

Turdidae – thrushes and allies

Maré thrush, Turdus vanikorensis mareensis (Maré Island, New Caledonia, Melanesia, early 20th century) A subspecies of the Vanikoro island thrush last collected in 1911 or 1912 and not found again after 1939.
Peleng red-and-black thrush, Geokichia mendeni mendeni (Peleng, Indonesia, mid-20th century?) The nominate subspecies of the red-and-black thrush; little is known about it.
Kibale black-eared ground thrush, Geokichia camaronensis kibalensis (southwestern Uganda, East Africa, late 20th century?) A subspecies of the black-eared ground thrush or possibly a distinct species; known only from two specimens, both from 1966. It is likely that it still exists in suitable habitat, but it could already be extinct.
Choiseul russet-tailed thrush, Zoothera heinei choiseuli (Choiseul, Solomon Islands, Melanesia, mid-20th century?) A subspecies of the russet-tailed thrush known from a single specimen found in 1924. It could have been wiped out by introduced feral cats, but the island is poorly known and so it should not be presumed extinct just yet.
Isle of Pines solitaire, Myadestes elisabeth retrusus (Isla de la Juventud, West Indies, 20th century) A subspecies of the Cuban solitaire. The last confirmed records were in the 1930s, with unconfirmed reports in the early 1970s.

Mimidae – mockingbirds and thrashers

Barbados scaly-breasted thrasher, Allenia fusca atlantica (Barbados, West Indies, 1987?) A subspecies of the scaly-breasted thrasher last recorded in 1987. Most of its range has been surveyed since then, with no records known.

Estrildidae – estrildid finches (waxbills, munias, etc.)

Southern star finch, Bathilda ruficauda ruficauda (Australia, 1995) The nominate subspecies of the star finch last recorded in 1995 and not found during later surveys in the 1990s. It is not known to survive in captivity.

Fringillidae – true finches and Hawaiian honeycreepers

San Benito house finch, Haemorhous mexicanus mcgregori (San Benito, East Pacific, c. 1940s) A subspecies of the house finch.
Lānaʻi ʻalauahio, Paroreomyza montana montana (Lānaʻi, Hawaiian Islands, 1937) The nominate subspecies of the Maui ʻalauahio (or, more properly, the Maui Nui ʻalauahio), it was last recorded in 1937 and was certainly extinct by 1960.

Icteridae – New World blackbirds and allies

Grand Cayman oriole, Icterus leucopteryx bairdi (Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands, West Indies, late 20th century) A subspecies of the Jamaican oriole last recorded in 1967.

Parulidae – New World warblers

New Providence yellowthroat, Geothlypis rostrata rostrata (Andros and New Providence, Bahamas, West Indies, 1990?) The nominate subspecies of the Bahama yellowthroat; it is either extinct or almost extinct.

Thraupidae – tanagers

Gonâve western chat-tanager, Calyptophilus tertius abbotti (Gonâve, West Indies, c. 1980?) A subspecies of the western chat-tanager last recorded in 1977 and probably extinct.
Samaná eastern chat-tanager, Calyptophilus frugivorus frugivorus (eastern Hispaniola, West Indies, late 20th century) The nominate subspecies of the eastern chat-tanager; the last (unconfirmed?) record was in 1982 and concerted efforts to find it ever since have failed.
Darwin's large ground finch, Geospiza magnirostris magnirostris (Floreana Island?, Galápagos Islands, 1957?) The (possibly invalid) nominate subspecies of the large ground finch collected by Charles Darwin in 1835; he gave no precise location for it. A similar bird was found in 1957, but no others have been seen since then.
Saint Kitts bullfinch, Melopyrrha portoricensis grandis (Saint Kitts and (prehistorically) Barbuda, West Indies, 1930) A subspecies of the Puerto Rican bullfinch.

Passerellidae – New World sparrows

Todos Santos rufous-crowned sparrow, Aimophila ruficeps sanctorum (Islas Todos Santos, East Pacific, 1970s?) A subspecies of the rufous-crowned sparrow once common but not recorded during surveys in the 1970s or since then.
Santa Barbara song sparrow, Melospiza melodia graminea (Santa Barbara Island, North America, late 1960s) A subspecies of the song sparrow last seen in 1967; it became extinct due to a severe wildfire in 1959 and subsequent predation by feral cats. Officially declared extinct by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service in 1983.
Dusky seaside sparrow, Ammospiza maritima nigrescens (Florida, North America, late 1980s) A subspecies of the seaside sparrow last recorded in the wild in 1987.
Guadalupe spotted towhee, Pipilo maculatus consobrinus (Guadalupe Island, East Pacific, c. 1900) A subspecies of the spotted towhee.