Researchers spot Ghana cuckoo-hawk after 13 years in Ivory Coast

Researchers from the International Bird Conservation Association identified the Ghana cuckoo-hawk in Taï National Park in Ivory Coast.

Stephanie Bartlett and Paulo Ditzel captured the sighting after months of field work and bird counts supported by a West African research team. Bartlett used her camera to identify the small bird, which has an orange body and black and yellow wings, because the species is fearful of humans.

The Ghana cuckoo-hawk had not been documented since 2013 in the Atewa forest of Ghana. Ornitologists believe the bird lives in the Upper Guinea tropical rainforest, but logging and farming have fragmented its habitat. Because the bird appeared on the Search for Lost Birds list, researchers had suspected it might still exist in Taï National Park despite a lack of verified sightings for over a decade.

John Mittermeier of the American Bird Conservancy stated that scientists cannot create effective conservation plans for species that remain unseen for long periods. The researchers say this discovery emphasizes the need to protect the biodiversity hotspot in Ivory Coast, which faces threats from illegal hunting and artisanal gold mining.