Finding Auwo: reacting to the first photo of this species!

The moment Doka and I (Jordan Boersma) realized we had the first ever photos of the Black-naped Pheasant-pigeon, known locally as Auwo, on our very last day of searching on Fergusson Island, Papua New Guinea.

This species had not been documented since the 1800s and had never been photographed. We spent a month searching for this critically endangered and, at the time, potentially extinct species, and never saw the bird ourselves. Seeing photos of this elusive, almost mythical, bird walking past our camera was the most surreal and fulfilling experience we could have ever imagined.

Jason Gregg, Doka Nason, Eli Malesa, John Mittermeier, Serena Ketaloya, and Bulisa Iova were core members of the expedition team. We had the support of countless Fergusson Is. locals whose immense knowledge of birds led to this triumphant moment.

The expedition was supported by American Bird Conservancy and the Search for Lost Birds, a collaboration between BirdLife International, American Bird Conservancy and Re:wild. The Search for Lost Birds identified the pheasant-pigeon for an expedition after a global review revealed it was one of a few bird species that have been lost to science for more than a century.

[dustin]

Props on the camera man for revealing it in the best way possible to one of the few people that would appreciate it just as much as himself. Gave me a feeling, big congrats.

[Smitelight]

It's absolutely the most wholesome feeling, seeing somebody so happy about all their hard work paying off.

[hultaelit]

I have no real personal interest in birds, but seeing the instant reaction of this man really made my day, I've watched it half a dozen times by now.
Congratulations to you and your team!

[Stierlitz]

It must've been so hard to be casual like "hey man, take a look at this" when you KNEW the guy was about to have a meltdown of pure joy and disbelief.
The reaction is... man, just heartwarming. Congratulations to you all!

[dancan]

As a fellow conservationist i am so damn happy for you. Thank you for sharing this pure joy with us.

[auwobird]

I am overwhelmed by the response to Doka's reaction to our surreal finding!



Thanks so much for watching and stay tuned for more Doka and the dramatic search for the Auwo!

[williamspencer]

I love how his knees give out, the genuine happiness he is experiencing is something everyone should feel at least once in their life time.

[BrockYoung]

This is one of my new favorite videos on all of the internet. It is so unbelievably genuine.

[Infernoraptor]

That reaction literally gave me goosebumps. That excitement is so contagious! Congrats!

[CarlinTran]

That was so cool to see some genuine reactions. Congrats to the entire team who made this moment possible! What a cool looking bird.

[neotim]

Not gonna lie that almost made me cry, awesome to see that much joy in a dude

[icresp]

Man the happiness is so contagious everyone I've shown this to has smiled. You guys are awesome

[Marklennon]

I love when you see people excited for thing they’re passionate about

[santiagoqr]

A while ago when this video originally came out, I told my wife this was my dream for her, she is into conservation and loves trail and trap cameras, I told her that I wanted to see one day a video like this, where she sees something in a trap cam that gets her this excited
She thought it was the best thing she had ever heard, and she was full of love for me because no one had ever wished her something like that, it sounded like I really nailed it and it was what she had wanted all her life.
Sadly she passed away a week ago and was never able to find something like this.
She set camera traps in Peru, Colombia, Thailand, Belize, Borneo, Namibia and South Africa, she did more than most people will ever get to, but she died too young and will never be able to fulfill her dream of finding a species considered extinct or saving a species from extinction.
I will always remember the moment we watched this video together.
It was the one of her happiest moments, and for sure the most proud of herself moment ever.
Thank you

[naan]

Their happiness is so infectious too, I'm crying happy tears for them

[parsegov]

Congrats! That's got to be such an amazing feeling! So much fun to see the joy on his face!

[tripp]

Dude we need to see the picture!
That guy might be the happiest person I've ever seen.

[Nostalgiohn]

Thank you for sharing this bit if the human experience. Seeing pure emotion like this over something that yall dedicated so much time to is inspiring

[sybillemaa]

It's so beautiful to see the joy in his face. Thank you and congratulations for rediscovering this rare bird.

[PiqueAction]

That reaction is infectious. Congrats!