List of extinct bird species since 1500
About 129 species of birds have become extinct since 1500, and the rate of extinction seems to be increasing. The situation is exemplified by Hawaii, where 30% of all known recently extinct bird taxa originally lived. Other areas, such as Guam, have also been hit hard; Guam has lost over 60% of its native bird taxa in the last 30 years, many of them due to the introduced brown tree snake (Boiga irregularis).Currently there are approximately 10,000 living species of birds, with over 1,480 at risk of extinction and 223 critically endangered.Island species in general, and flightless island species in particular, are most at risk. The disproportionate number of rails in this list reflects the tendency of that family to lose the ability to fly when geographically isolated. Even more rails became extinct before they could be described by scientists; these taxa are listed in List of Late Quaternary prehistoric bird species.