Hope for the San Cristóbal Ruby Flycatcher

The San Cristóbal Vermillion flycatcher was native only to San Cristóbal Island and was last sighted there in 1987.  As a result, this Vermillion flycatcher was declared extinct by the World Conservation Union (IUCN) in 2016.  

The endangered Galápagos Vermillion Flycatcher (Pyrocephalus nanus), on the other hand, is native to all Galápagos Islands except San Cristóbal. 

Recently, however, there have been numerous reports from farmers of sightings of Vermillion flycatchers on San-Christóbal. For this reason, a research team equipped with the latest technology has been set up to install photo traps and loudspeakers with songs of the Vermillion flycatcher at all locations on the island of San Christóbal where Ruby-throated Flycatchers have been sighted. The local property owners have been involved in the search for the missing birds and have been of great help in placing photo traps.  

Already many rare birds, attracted by the San Cristóbal Vermillion flycatcher song, have been captured by the photo trap. So let's hope that in the near future it will really be possible to detect one of these birds considered extinct.