A Rare Green Magpie Is Down to 50 Birds. Conservationists Have a Plan.

The Javan green magpie, a bird so rare it sounds like a mythical creature, is teetering on the brink. We're talking about roughly 50 individuals left in the wild. Fifty. That's fewer people than you probably have in your extended family group chat. So, a coalition of conservation groups just launched a last-ditch effort to pull them back from the edge.

These emerald-feathered beauties, officially known as Cissa thalassina, once flitted through the upland forests of West Java, Indonesia. Their numbers have plummeted thanks to the usual suspects: habitat destruction and, more dramatically, the insatiable demand of the illegal songbird trade. Apparently, a bird's rarity makes it more appealing, not less, to those looking to make a quick buck.

The Price of a Pretty Song

Locally, they're called "ekek geling" because of their distinct call. And in the bizarre world of competitive bird singing, these magpies are considered "master birds" — essentially, avian vocal coaches used to train other birds for competitions. Which, if you think about it, is both impressive and slightly terrifying. Imagine being so good at singing that your species is hunted to near extinction just to teach other birds a tune.

Surveys from 2018 to 2021 delivered a grim report: zero Javan green magpies spotted in a dozen areas where they once thrived. Experts are pretty sure the relentless trade is what pushed them to this precarious point. The good news (if you can call it that when only 50 birds are left) is that they finally gained official protected status in 2019. Now, if only the poachers would read the memo. The plan involves everything from breeding programs to community engagement, hoping to give these ridiculously rare birds a fighting chance. Because the thought of losing a bird that looks like it flew straight out of a fantasy novel? Unacceptable.