Country Ecology: Ivory-billed woodpecker

The North American Bluebird Society's periodical is called "Bluebird" fittingly enough, and occasionally publishes articles of historical interest. A recent issue recovered John James Audubon's description of his observing the extravagant ivory-billed woodpecker on numerous occasions.

This impressive bird was actually a bit bigger than the pileated we are familiar with, which people mistake for the ivory bill — as if it could be still be around. They actually coexisted in the past, but like many woodpeckers, had different foraging habits from one another. And that led to the demise of the "Lord, God!" bird, as the extreme exclamation often rang out upon sighting the huge woodpecker.