Ivory-bill Takes Perch on Money Tree.

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Author: Unknown

The $10 million in promised federal funding for Ivory-billed Woodpecker recovery, which is reportedly being redirected from other conservation projects, would rank the species fourth in government bird spending.

In 2003, federal and state governments spent $115.5 million on recovery efforts and land purchases for 93 species and subspecies protected by the Endangered Species Act, representing 15 percent of total spending on all endangered animals and plants.

Below are the spending totals and percentages for the top 10 birds, and a combined total for 27 Hawaiian species. Expenditures for the remaining 47 protected species totaled $31.4 million -- an average of $667,000 each.

Legend for Chart:

A - Rank
B - Bird
C - State and federal spending (in millions of dollars)
D - Percentage of total bird spending

A             B                          C      D

1    Bald Eagle                       $16.0   13.9%
2    Red-cockaded Woodpecker           12.4   10.7
3    Spotted Owl                       10.5    9.1
4    Southwestern Willow Flycatcher     9.9    8.6
5    Western Snowy Plover               6.9    6.0
6    Least Tern                         5.2    4.5
7    Marbled Murrelet                   5.0    4.4
8    Whooping Crane                     5.0    4.4
9    Clapper Rail                       4.9    4.3
10   Piping Plover                      4.9    4.2
     27 Hawaiian birds*                 3.2    2.8

* Hawaiian birds in order of total expenditures: Hawaiian
Goose, Hawaiian Dark-rumped Petrel, Hawaiian Crow, Hawaiian
Stilt, Hawaii Creeper, Akiapola'au, Palila, Maul Parrotbill,
Oahu Elepaio, Newell's Townsend's Shearwater, Laysan Duck,
Hawaii Akepa, Po'onli (last known individual died in 2004),
Hawaiian Hawk, Hawaiian Coot, Hawaiian Common Moorhen,
Hawaiian Duck, Crested Honeycreeper, Small Kauai Thrush,
Maui Akepa, Nukupu'u, Oahu Creeper, "O'u, Molokai Creeper,
Large Kauai Thrush, Molokai Thrush, Laysan Finch
Source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service