Rediscovery of Ivory-Billed Woodpecker Inspires Mainer to Offer $10,000 Challenge Grant

FALMOUTH - April 28, 2005

Hours after news broke today that the ivory-billed woodpecker is not extinct as scientists had believed for more than 60 years, Scarborough resident and ardent birder Eddie Woodin, inspired by the rediscovery, offered a $10,000 matching grant to an annual statewide fundraiser to benefit wildlife, the Maine Audubon Birdathon.

“It’s such an inspiration that this legendary bird managed to survive so long in the bayous of Arkansas even though its habitat was destroyed,” said Woodin. “It’s also a reminder that we need groups like Maine Audubon to keep birds and other wildlife from nearing extinction.”

For every pledge or donation of $50 or more made to the Birdathon, Woodin will match the gift dollar to dollar, up to $10,000, to help conserve Maine’s wildlife and wildlife habitat.

“From the calls and e-mails that Maine Audubon has been getting all day, I know the news that this woodpecker has survived against all odds is having a huge impact on wildlife lovers across Maine,” said Kevin Carley, Maine Audubon’s executive director. “Eddie Woodin is one of those people. Maine Audubon is very thankful that this resilient bird inspired his commitment to Maine Audubon’s work for wildlife conservation.”

“From having participated in Maine Audubon’s Birdathon in previous years, I know that it’s a great opportunity for anyone who loves wildlife to help raise funds to help protect them,” said Woodin.

In its seventh year, Maine Audubon's Birdathon is like any marathon: quantity counts. Participants solicit pledges ranging from 10¢ to $10 for each bird species they plan to see and then count birds in trees, on the water and even at backyard feeders any time between Saturday, May 14 through Monday, May 30. Those who don’t wish to count birds but would like to help Maine Audubon meet Woodin’s challenge grant and receive the $10,000 may make a donation.

North America’s largest woodpecker, the ivory-billed woodpecker disappeared when bottomland forests of North America were logged expansively, despite the attempts of wildlife conservationists to protect them. After 60 years of unconfirmed sightings, a group of biologists undertook an intensive search beginning in April 2004 in the Cache River and White River national wildlife refuges in Arkansas and captured an ivory-billed male on video.

The discovery was kept secret for more than a year to give conservation groups and government agencies time to purchase land to protect the bird’s habitat.

In Maine, the passenger pigeon, Labrador duck, and great auk all went extinct due to hunting and habitat loss.

EDITORS/REPORTERS: Maine Audubon has a rare and authentic taxidermy mount of an ivory-billed woodpecker at Gilsland Farm Audubon Center in Falmouth. If you’re interested in seeing or photographing it, please call (207) 781-2330, ext. 229.

People of all abilities and ages are invited to participate in the Birdathon. The event’s most competitive teams search for birds for 24 hours straight; others count birds for a few hours in their neighborhood or back yard.

Participants can:

• Form a competitive or noncompetitive birding team with friends or family;
• Join a public Birdathon trip hosted by Maine Audubon’s state office in Falmouth or local Maine Audubon chapter;
• Be a Backyard Birder, looking for birds in the back yard, neighborhood or a local park;
• Take a Business Bird Break, counting birds with coworkers; or
• Make a donation to the Birdathon or a pledge to Maine Audubon’s staff team.

Birdathon details:

• Competitive team rules for Birdathon 2005;
• Suggestions for noncompetitive participants;
• Tips on how to get pledges;
• Contact information for local Maine Audubon chapters;
• Printer-friendly sponsor sheets (PDF);
• Sample solicitation and pledge collection letters;
• Profiles of Birdathon participants;
• List of Maine Audubon birding workshops and classes to help you learn how to identify species; and
• List of common Maine bird species.

Questions about Birdathon 2005? E-mail birdathon@maineaudubon.org or call Susy Kist, Maine Audubon special events coordinator, at (207) 781-2330, ext. 231.

Maine Audubon works to conserve Maine's wildlife and wildlife habitat by engaging people of all ages in education, conservation and action.

With a 160-year history of connecting people with nature, Maine Audubon is the only organization in Maine working to conserve wildlife in three ways: providing hands-on environmental education for people of all ages, conducting research and wildlife conservation projects statewide, and taking action to help shape effective science-based conservation policy.

Support for Maine Audubon comes from its 11,000 members, donors and volunteers, including individuals, foundations and corporations. Maine Audubon is an affiliate of Audubon's national organization and has local chapters statewide; membership in Maine Audubon includes Audubon membership at the national, state and local levels.

Maine Audubon's 3,000 acres of wildlife sanctuary and its community-based environmental centers, citizen science programs, and hundreds of trips, programs, classes and camps offer young children through senior citizens wide-ranging opportunities to explore, learn about and care for Maine's wildlife throughout the year.

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