23 Species Were Added To the U.S. Extinct List Last Year

Human advancement may be beneficial to us Homo sapiens, but other species suffer gravely. Common factors like deforestation, which results in the loss of habitat, exploitation via hunting and overfishing, climate change, and pollution are all part of human advancement, and these are major causes of extinction.

In September of 2021, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service submitted a proposal to remove 23 species, 22 animals and one plant, from their endangered species list. This proposal, the largest ever of its kind, contains their reasoning behind the removal, as they believe that the species are no longer qualified to be defined as endangered. They believe that the species listed below have been lost to extinction.

Bridget Fahey, director of the Division of Classification & Conservation at the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, said, “Each of these 23 species represents a permanent loss to our nation’s natural heritage and to global biodiversity. And it’s a sobering reminder that extinction is a consequence of human-caused environmental change.”

Here are the species we lost in 2021.

1. Bachman’s warbler (Vermivora bachmanii)

One of the rarest songbirds in North America, the Bachman’s warbler, has been on the endangered species list since 1967. These migratory birds are a sexually dimorphic species; Males are described as having distinctive black patches on their lower throat and chest and bright yellow bellies, while the females, while being described as less striking, have more hints of olive in their feathers.

“By 1920, much of what had been apparently ideal breeding habitat had been completely cleared and drained for agricultural purposes. It was at this time that habitat destruction became a possible factor in the decline of the species,” Paul Hamel said in his book about the birds.
The small native songbird was reportedly last seen in Louisiana in 1988.

2. Bridled white-eye (Zosterops conspicillatus)

The bridled white-eye was first listed as an endangered species in 1984. These forest birds are native to Guam and are referred to by the indigenous people, the Chamorros, as ‘Nossa.’ They have bright olive-green, sometimes light green, upper parts and yellowish underparts, and they are most distinguishable by the bold white ring surrounding their eyes.

It is suspected that the species were thriving in the forested areas in Guam around the early 1900s, but they were destroyed and cleared out by the time World War II ended. Due to habitat destruction, the species suffered, but they were said to still be frequently sighted in areas around the Northern Mariana Islands. Natural disasters, human exploitation, and avian disease were some of the other factors that contributed to the extinction of this species, but the final nail in the coffin for them would be predation by invasive brown tree snakes, according to a study.

The diet of the brown tree snakes consists of up to 32.2 percent of birds and bird eggs. Though these numbers are not strictly of the bridled white-eye species, the brown tree snake accounted for 92.7% of all egg and nestling mortality. The last known sighting of the bridled white-eye was in June of 1983.

3. Ivory-billed woodpecker (Campephilus principalis)

The ivory-billed woodpecker has an estimated wingspan of 29-31 inches and is around 18-20 inches in height, making them one of the largest woodpeckers in the whole world. Similar to the first entry on our list, this species is sexually dimorphic. Both sexes have glossy black and striking white plumage, but the males have a distinct red coloring from the nape to the top of their crest with black outlining on the front, while the females have a solid black crest.

According to the Recovery Plan for the Ivory-billed Woodpecker, the species suffered from habitat destruction caused by both World War I and II and habitat loss that came with the European settlement and excessive logging.

They were listed as an endangered species in 1967, and, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Ivory-billed woodpecker (Campephilus principalis) 5-Year Review, the last confirmed sighting was in April 1944.

4. Kaua’i ‘akialoa (Akialoa stejnegeri)

The first entry out of the nine native species from Hawai’i on the list, this “honeycreeper” has lived exclusively on the island of Kaua’i. These birds are large, ranging between 6.7-7.6 inches, and have very long down-curved bills spanning up to a third of their overall length. The Kaua’i ‘akialoa mainly feed on nectars and insects. The males of this species are more brightly colored compared to the females, but the females have the longer bills, longest even among all other Hawaiian honeycreepers.

The cause for their extinction is largely due to avian diseases and habitat loss during the 20th century. According to Perkins’s Fauna Hawaiiensis, the birds had swelling on the legs, feet, head, skin around their eyes, and at the base of their bills. Having just been listed as an endangered species in 1967, the last confirmed sighting of the Kaua’i ‘akialoa was in 1969.

5. Kaua’i nukupu’u (Hemignathus hanapepe)

Similar to the first honeycreeper, the Kaua’i nukupu’u also features a thin curved bill, but what makes them different is that the lower mandible of these birds is only about half the length of its upper mandible. Males have bright yellowish feathers, while the females have more grayish-green tones.

The Kuau’i species of the nukupu’u have always been very rare, according to Andrew Berger’s “The Present Status of the Birds of Hawaii.” Common reasons for the Hawaiian bird species’s continuous degradation are habitat loss, due to having the Hawaiian forest cleared to be used for ranching, and mosquito-borne diseases.

The nukupu’u was last seen for sure in 1899 but was only listed as an endangered species in March of 1967.

6. Kaua’i ‘ō’ō (Moho braccatus)

Another Hawaiian bird, the Kaua’i ‘ō’ō have glossy black feathers, streaked white throat, a prominent white patch at the bend of its wings, and distinct golden yellow feathers around its thighs.

This certain species is said to be extremely rare and was suspected to have already been extinct but was rediscovered in the early 1960s, and Dr. Frank Richardson was able to collect a specimen and record it in his study with John Bowles for the Bernice P. Bishop Museum Bulletin series. They were listed as endangered in 1967.

Habitat destruction, predation by other animals (like the foreign Polynesian rats, pigs, and black rats), and diseases like the Avipoxvirus and Avian malaria were the main cause of the ‘ō’ō’s extinction. A Kaua’i ‘ō’ō male was last seen and heard in 1987.

7. Large Kaua’i thrush (Myadestes myadestinus)

Out of all six of the Hawaiian thrushes, this species is the largest. The kamao, another name for the Large Kaua’i thrush, is characterized as having dull brown feathers with a gray belly. According to a study published in 1988, in relation to the original range occupied by the species and their population, the Kaua’i kamao were already found in declining populations, with just two being found in the early 1980s. Less than 25% of the species were found in its former range. Main reasons for the species’s decline were land clearing and avian malaria.

According to the USFWS 5-Year review for the Large Kaua’i thrush, the last observation of the species was in February 1989, during a Kaua’i forest bird survey in the Alaka’i Wilderness Preserve.

8. Maui ākepa (Loxops ochraceus)

Another honeycreeper endemic to the island of Maui, these little 4-inch songbirds are cross-billed, and they produce a beautiful call that can be heard here. Like the previous two entries in our list, the Maui ākepa were considered rare, and their population was estimated to have no more than 290 according to The Hawaiian Forest Bird Survey in 1980.

Sporting a bright red-orange plumage for the males, while their counterparts have more varying amounts of yellow to orange on their breast and belly and a greenish-gray on top, they are considered one of the smallest honeycreeper species.

Mosquito-borne diseases, predation from foreign mammals, and habitat degradation caused by logging and ranching were said to be the cause for the extinction. The ākepa were first listed as endangered in 1970 and the last recorded as seen in 1988.

9. Maui nukupu’u (Hemignathus affinis)

Similiar to the nukupu’u in Kaua’i, the Maui nukupu’u also has a long, thin decurved bill. The males have yellow heads like the Kaua’i ones and olive-colored backsides, while the females have more olive-toned heads and necks; they maintain the yellow colors on their face and throat. The the females have more grayish-green tones.

The Maui species, being extremely rare, was thought to have already been extinct and was only rediscovered in 1967. The nukupu’u in both Kuau’i and Maui were estimated to have been less than 100 in quantity, according to research done in the late 1980s, and the last confirmed sighting of the species was in 1989. They share the same common reasons for their extinction as the Kuau’i nukupu’u and were listed as an endangered species three years later in October 1970.

10. Molokai creeper (Paroreomyza flammea)

Another short-billed species, the Molokai creeper, suffered from habitat loss and avian disease. Listed as an endangered species in 1970, it is described as being one of the most seriously threatened species in the islands. The males of this species have various bright shades of red, while the females are mostly brown with some scarlet markings.

Also known as the kākāwahie, the last sighting was recorded in 1963 in Puʻu Aliʻi Natural Area Reserve, according to the USFWS 5-Year Review of the species.

11. Po’ouli (Melamprosops phaeosoma)

This black-faced honeycreeper is unique in that it is the only species under the Melamprosops genus. These birds were discovered on East Maui in 1973 and were put in the endangered list after just two years, in October of 1975. Sadly, according to a previously cited study, the species’ rapid decline made them immediately a candidate for extinction within 10 years of their discovery.

It’s the same as all the other Hawaiian species on this list; habitat degradation, predation by foreign animals, and mosquito-borne diseases are the main causes for their extinction. Only two birds were found during The Hawaiian Forest Bird Survey, but it is believed that the species still continued to exist, as there have been other sightings.

In 2004, one specimen was captured and kept in captivity in the hopes of having it breed to preserve the species, but no mate was found, and the bird died just two months after its capture.

12. Phyllostegia glabra var. Lanaiensis

The last entry from the nine native species from Hawai’i, the Phyllostegia glabra var. Lanaiensis is the only plant included in this list. This species is from the mint family, and this particular variety is endemic to the forests of the Lanai islands in Hawai’i. Described as tall perennials, they have red-veined leaves and clustered white flowers.

The plant’s habitat is threatened by several invasive plants and exotic deer that were introduced to the island. Although it was last seen and collected for a program by the USFWS in 1914,it was only listed as endangered in 1991, as seen in the USFWS report.

13. Little Mariana fruit bat (Pteropus tokudae)

The little Mariana fruit bat is more commonly known as the Guam flying fox. This presumably native species was first discovered and collected as a specimen in 1931; all three specimens collected in history are from Guam. Its average wingspan is around 27 inches, and it was estimated to be 152 grams on average, making it one of the smaller species of fruit bat. Along with the Mariana fruit bat (Pteropus mariannus), it was listed as endangered by the USFWS in 1984.

According to a study, the Pteropus tokudae is considered as a prized delicacy by the Chamorros. The little Mariana fruit bats suffered from human poaching, habitat destruction to make way for agriculture and housing, and, like the bridled white-eye, brown tree snake predation. Sadly, it was in the hands of poachers in 1968 that the species was last seen.

There are eight species of freshwater mussels included in this list. The following entries will contain brief descriptions of each species.

14. Flat pigtoe mussel (Pleurobema marshalli)

First entry of the mussel group, the Flat pigtoes, are most commonly known as the Marshall’s Mussel. Native in Alabama and Mississippi, these river mussels have a dark brown shell with shallow cavities. First collected in Alabama during the early 1970s and categorized as endangered in 1987, the species suffered from the construction of the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway. According to the USFWS review, the species has not been observed since 1987.

15. Green-blossom pearly mussel (Epioblasma torulosa gubernaculum)

The green-blossom pearly mussel, more commonly called simply the pearly mussel, has been on the endangered list since June 1976 and was last seen in 1984 in Virginia. The latest, a live specimen, was collected in the Clinch River in 1982 and is described as medium-sized, straw-colored, and possessing an irregularly elliptical-shaped shell. The USFWS claims that the species is extremely rare and that habitat degradation due to impoundments and pollution were the main cause for its extinction.

16. Southern acornshell mussel (Epioblasma othcaloogensis)

Even after intensive surveys around the known habitats of the southern acornshell mussel, researchers have failed to locate any living or dead specimens. These small yellow mussels are sexually dimorphic, wherein the females have a noticeable swollen posterior ridge, as described by the USFWS. They were originally listed as an endangered species in 1993, along with the upland combshell. Habitat degradation due to quarrying and dam construction, pollution, and droughts were the main threats for this species.

17. Stirrupshell mussel (Quadrula stapes)

The stirrupshell mussel, like the flat pigtoe mussel, has not been observed since 1987. These mussels were first observed in the Tombigbee River and were found to be more quadrangular in shape and have a yellow-greenish color with zigzag markings on the shell. We lost these already rare species due to habitat degradation and loss that came with the construction, again, of the Tennessee–Tombigbee Waterway.

18. Tubercled blossom pearly mussel (Epioblasma torulosa torulosa)

A tubercled blossom pearly mussel was collected from the Kanawha River in 1969, where it was last seen and recorded. The known habitat of this species was affected by the construction of the Normandy Dam, which, through various activities, severely deteriorated the water quality and disturbed the natural habitat of the species. Compared to the green blossom species, the tubercled are larger and appear to be more inflated. Their shells range from yellow to greenish and are elliptical in shape.

19. Turgid-blossom pearly mussel (Epioblasma turgidula)

A small-sized mussel, the turgid blossom is noticeably sexually dimorphic, unlike some of the other Epioblasma species. They have shiny shells and are marked with irregular growth lines that are present with other Epioblasma species. According to the USFWS’s Recovery Plan for the species, their extinction came about with the construction of various dams and reservoirs, which negatively impacted their habitat condition through stream impoundments, siltation, and pollution.

20. Upland combshell mussel (Epioblasma metastriata)

Known habitats of the upland combshell are the rivers of Alabama, Georgia, and Tennessee. The original endangered listing for the species was in 1993, at the same time as the southern acornshell. Even after numerous surveys, conducted by numerous researchers, no Upland combshell has been seen nor collected; the last specimen was collected in 1986 from the Conasauga River. “Habitat modification, sedimentation, eutrophication, and other forms of water quality degradation are the primary causes of decline of the upland combshell,” as said in the Recovery Plan of the USFWS Southern Region in Atlanta, Georgia.

21. Yellow-blossom pearly mussel (Epioblasma florentina florentina)

This Epioblasma species is medium in size and has a shiny yellow elliptical shell. Since these types of mussel need a stable habitat to reproduce, large dam constructions greatly impacted the yellow blossom species. Reasons for the decline of this species include impoundment, siltation, and pollution. Human alteration by mining, dredging, and logging are some major reasons for the degradation of the aquatic ecosystem. More information about the threats can be read here.

22. San Marcos gambusia (Gambusia georgei)

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PHOTO: University of Michigan Museum of Zoology – Fish/C Hubbs & M Stevenson

These tiny one-inch-long fish were endemic to the San Marcos River in Texas. In the proposed rule of the USFWS, the information about the species states that their habitats were significantly impacted due to drought and cumulative effects of human activities. It was recorded that the last captive female specimen died in 1985, hence marking the end of any breeding efforts for this species. There have been no wild San Marcos gambusia sightings since 1983; they were listed as endangered in 1980.

23. Scioto madtom (Noturus trautmani)

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PHOTO: Youtube/Anthöny Pain

The last item on our list was believed to be endemic to the Scioto River Basin. The Scioto madtom was a small bottom-feeding catfish species that was listed as endangered in 1975. On record, only 18 individuals of the species were ever collected from the Big Darby Creek in Ohio. The Scioto madtom was last seen in 1957 and was said to be only active at night, usually hiding beneath the river’s substrate during the daytime. Similar to the other river creatures listed in this list, the population of this species was heavily affected by dam constructions, siltation, and the resulting pollution.

Written by Louise Peralta