Second-Guessing the Ivory-Bill

A leading ornithologist, Jerome A. Jackson, has published an article in the journal The Auk casting doubt on the evidence for the biggest wildlife story of last year - the rediscovery of the ivory-billed woodpecker (Campephilus principalis). Whether one agrees or disagrees with Jackson (this amateur disagrees, in case anyone cares), this is an interesting example of how top specialists can differ on the interpretation of evidence. It's also a case of a scientific controversy being played out the way it should be, in well-written articles in professional media. The Auk has made the entire article available online.