Once the most populous bird in North America—and perhaps the world—the passenger pigeon darkened the skies with immense flocks, their cobalt wings and peach-colored chests creating vast aerial spectacles. These flocks were so dense and lengthy that they could block the sun for days, while the collective sound of their wings was said to chill the earth below. Numbering in the billions, they vanished almost overnight, casualties of human exploitation.
In the 19th century, passenger pigeons became a cheap and abundant protein source. They were hunted mercilessly, netted, clubbed, shot, poisoned, and suffocated. By the time protective legislation was considered, few remained. The last passenger pigeon, a female named Martha, died in 1914 at the Cincinnati Zoo.
Continue reading… “Reviving the Lost Passenger Pigeon: The Great De-Extinction Experiment”
