Ghosts of lost birds
When Ceri Levy asked celebrated illustrator Ralph Steadman to produce one piece of art representing an extinct bird for an exhibition, he said ‘Yes’. Then ‘Yes’ again… and again… and again. An astonishing 100 paintings later, a fabulous collection, now brought together in a book, Extinct Boids, was born.
Ralph’s remarkable paintings, accompanied by Ceri’s accompanying text, pay a colourful tribute to some of the most beautiful creatures ever to have lived. Here, we celebrate some of the finest…
The red-moustached Fruit Dove was a forest dweller, endemic to the Marquesas Islands in French Polynesia. It was last collected in 1922, and its extinction was caused not only by the usual introduced rats and cats, but also through predation by an introduced bird, the Great Horned Owl. This owl sounds scary, and it proved too scary for the Fruit Dove.
There are many bones, and many reports from Mauritius where it was resident, to supposedly give us a lot of information on the Dodo. This, the number one extinction superstar, was large, tame and flightless, attributes that time and time again have proven to be a winning formula for entering the Bird Extinction Hall Of Fame. Or at least that is what we have been led to believe. The truth is that little is really known about the life of this tragic bird. It may have been rather slender, and may not have been hunted for food too often due to its apparently vile taste. Heated debates continue to this day about the Dodo. The date of its extinction lies anywhere between 1662 and 1693, and the reasons for its demise probably include introduced species such as rats, pigs and goats, all of which would have threatened eggs, chicks and food resources.
Questions remain about the Blue Slut. Was she one of the reasons the Dodo became extinct? Was theirs a relationship? Was it untenable? Or was she just in the wrong place at the wrong time when Ralph drew this picture? If only we could have seen what came out of the Blue Slut’s nest.
Little is known of the Réunion Gallinule, other than there are reports of how good it was to eat. This culinary fact, plus introduced rats, ended its existence, probably by the end of the 17th century.
Still from Lord Howe, still probably extinct.
A strange creature, hard to talk to on account of his unexplained and continuous shivering.
The Cuban Macaw hailed from Cuba and the Isle of Pines, and probably died out in the late 1800s. Hunting by local folk and habitat destruction were the two main causes of its demise. Red, green, yellow, blue, purple… this vibrantly coloured bird must have left a hole in the skies after its disappearance. A rainbow had vanished forever.
Extinct Boids by Ralph Steadman and Ceri Levy is published by Bloomsbury, priced £35.
Ralph’s remarkable paintings, accompanied by Ceri’s accompanying text, pay a colourful tribute to some of the most beautiful creatures ever to have lived. Here, we celebrate some of the finest…
Red-moustached fruit dove
Ptilinopus mercieriiThe red-moustached Fruit Dove was a forest dweller, endemic to the Marquesas Islands in French Polynesia. It was last collected in 1922, and its extinction was caused not only by the usual introduced rats and cats, but also through predation by an introduced bird, the Great Horned Owl. This owl sounds scary, and it proved too scary for the Fruit Dove.
Dodo
Raphus cucullatusThere are many bones, and many reports from Mauritius where it was resident, to supposedly give us a lot of information on the Dodo. This, the number one extinction superstar, was large, tame and flightless, attributes that time and time again have proven to be a winning formula for entering the Bird Extinction Hall Of Fame. Or at least that is what we have been led to believe. The truth is that little is really known about the life of this tragic bird. It may have been rather slender, and may not have been hunted for food too often due to its apparently vile taste. Heated debates continue to this day about the Dodo. The date of its extinction lies anywhere between 1662 and 1693, and the reasons for its demise probably include introduced species such as rats, pigs and goats, all of which would have threatened eggs, chicks and food resources.
Blue Slut
Sluta caeruleaQuestions remain about the Blue Slut. Was she one of the reasons the Dodo became extinct? Was theirs a relationship? Was it untenable? Or was she just in the wrong place at the wrong time when Ralph drew this picture? If only we could have seen what came out of the Blue Slut’s nest.
Réunion Gallinule
Porphyrio caerulescensLittle is known of the Réunion Gallinule, other than there are reports of how good it was to eat. This culinary fact, plus introduced rats, ended its existence, probably by the end of the 17th century.
White Gallinule
Porphyrio albusStill from Lord Howe, still probably extinct.
Guadalupe Ponce
Freezus shivericiusA strange creature, hard to talk to on account of his unexplained and continuous shivering.
Cuban Macaw
Ara tricolorThe Cuban Macaw hailed from Cuba and the Isle of Pines, and probably died out in the late 1800s. Hunting by local folk and habitat destruction were the two main causes of its demise. Red, green, yellow, blue, purple… this vibrantly coloured bird must have left a hole in the skies after its disappearance. A rainbow had vanished forever.
Extinct Boids by Ralph Steadman and Ceri Levy is published by Bloomsbury, priced £35.