THE AUDUBON BUD EN 
VANISHED AND ENDANGERED 
BIRDS OF ILLINOIS: 
A NEW ‘BLACK LIST’ and ‘RED LIST’ 
by WILLIAM G. GEORGE 
Professor of Zoology 
Southern Illinois University 
Bill George, zoologist and ornithologist at 
SIU in Carbondale, IIl., became president of 
the Southern Illinois Chapter of IAS when 
it was organized a year ago. He has contrib- 
uted other major manuscripts to THE 
AUDUBON BULLETIN in recent years. 
Here, he presents an unprecedented chal- 
lenge to the Society membership and to all 
state conservationists. 
At the annual meeting of the Illinois Audubon 
Society in May, 1970, I outlined the need for two 
Illinois lists of birds: (1) a -“BLAGK wisi. 
enumerating species which formerly reproduced 
in this state and now do not, either because they 
have become extinct or have been extirpated as 
breeding Illinois populations, and (2) a “RED 
LIST’, enumerating species which still reproduce 
in Illinois but in very limited numbers and hence 
are “endangered.” 
These lists—compiled with the help of in- 
formants and with encouragement of the Board 
of Directors of the Society—follow. The hope is 
the lists may enable local chapters to focus atten- 
tion both on the avian heritage already lost by 
Illinois, and on the avian heritage now threatened. 
Information of great value and indispensabil- 
ity was contributed by William J. Beecher, Charles 
Clark, Peter Dring, Elton Fawks, Jean Graber, 
Robert Graber, Vernon Kleen, Edward Lace, Peter 
Peterson, Russel Riepe and John Schwegman. 
I did not seek their guidance on the final 
allocation of species to the lists; that responsibil- 
ity befell me alone. It is owing to my informants’ 
knowledge of Illinois wildlife, however, that both 
lists appear adequate for the moment. 
