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The passenger pigeon or wild pigeon (Ectopistes migratorius) is an extinct species of pigeon that was endemic to North America. Its common name is derived from the French word passager, meaning "passing by", due to the migratory habits of the species. The scientific name also refers to its migratory characteristics.
Jul 2, 2024 · Passenger pigeon, migratory bird hunted to extinction by humans. Billions of these birds inhabited eastern North America in the early 1800s; migrating flocks darkened the skies for days. As settlers pressed westward, passenger pigeons were slaughtered by the millions.
Jun 27, 2014 · In fact, the passenger pigeon in the early 1800s may have been the most numerous bird in the world, with an estimated population of at least three billion birds—or at least a third as much as the...
The passenger pigeon was a colonial and gregarious bird and needed large numbers for optimum breeding conditions. It was not possible to reestablish the species with a few captive birds. The small captive flocks weakened and died. The last known individual of the passenger pigeon species was "Martha" (named after Martha Washington).
About September 1, 1914, the last known passenger pigeon, a female named Martha, died at the Cincinnati Zoo. She was roughly 29 years old, with a palsy that made her tremble. Not once in her life had she laid a fertile egg. This year marks the 100th anniversary of the passenger pigeon’s extinction.
Jun 7, 2019 · Passenger Pigeons Used to Flock by the Billions. At the start of the 19th century, the passenger pigeon was the most common bird in North America, and possibly the entire world, with a population estimated at five billion or so individuals.
Nov 16, 2017 · Billions of these birds once flew over North America, but the last known passenger pigeon died in 1914. To try to figure out what happened, scientists analyzed DNA from the toes of birds in ...
Sep 23, 2014 · To this day the Passenger Pigeon story represents the most famous human-caused extinction in history. In this fascinating seminar, Cornell Lab director John Fitzpatrick reviews the remarkable biology and tragic disappearance of this species.
Aug 30, 2014 · A hundred years later, the passenger pigeon remains iconic and is inspiring extravagant new technological feats. One team of scientists is even trying to bring the species back from extinction,...
Sep 1, 2014 · The passenger pigeon is sometimes called a 'wild pigeon' or 'blue pigeon'. Its colour is actually a blue-grey, with shades of red-orange and brown also prominent, as well as iridescent markings at the neck.
