Passenger Pigeon Memorial

(C) Fold the Flock and the Lost Bird Project

Today marks 100 years and 1 day since the last passenger, Martha, died in captivity.  At its height, the Passenger Pigeon was definitely the most populous bird in North America, if not the World.  Reports are that a passing flock could block the sun for days.  Several articles are going around about the loss of the Passenger Pigeon, the violence behind its demise, and the power that humans hold over the environment.  Many species and habitats are currently threatened across this planet.  Almost every bit of nature is threatened, managed or something to that effect.  The story of the Passenger Pigeon reminds us that we are truly capable of vast destruction.

Yet, we are not totally evil.  Look at the rebounding numbers of Falcons, Osprey, and Bald Eagles.  We are responsible for that as well. Many of those species were looking at extinction in the 70's and they are rebounding today.  We can never completely reverse what we've done.  We can't go and un-shoot the passenger pigeon.  We can protect several species today.  I've included some links below about the Passenger Pigeon and some of the lost bird projects that go on to keep its memory alive.

Two pictures of Passenger Pigeon Mountings at the American Museum of Natural History

Linking to Wild Bird Wednesday - Link here

Fold the Flock - Link here

Lost Bird Project - Link here

Book Review: Imperial Dreams

One of only two known clips of the Imperial Woodpecker

(C) Cornell University and Made by William Rhein in 1956

One of my gifts this holiday season was Tim Gallagher's latest book Imperial Dreams.  The book is a voyage into the natural history of the Imperial Woodpecker (Campephilus imperialis) in the Sierra Madre Mountains in Mexico.  For me this book was more than just a travelogue.  It was a journey into a nation and land that seem to be disappearing more and more every day and descending further and further into violence and chaos. Author Tim Gallagher takes on this fierce region, its tough natural history, hardy inhabitants, and current struggles.  The prose balances these well and you can't help but read on and on as Gallagher strikes deeper and deeper into this region.

For me, the birds of Mexico are not only far and distant because of time and space, but also the political and economic troubles make it a difficult journey and the birds distant.  Gallagher's account of his travel this land strikes a good balance between making the reader want to go and climb and explore these ancient mountains and lament the political and crime issues that plaque Mexico.

Does he find the Imperial Woodpecker?  How does Gallagher's quest end?  How does he deal with the dangers of the region?  Pick it up and find out!  It is definitely worth the read and you won't regret following Gallagher and on his journey through the Sierra Madre.

Some Campephilus Woodpeckers in the Peabody Museum's Collection

Sadly, this is how close many of us will come to the these birds...

Why I am a fan of extinction

As much as I want to see one of these...

...Or one of these....

(also, neither of the above pictures are mine)

I understand that I cannot.  They are extinct.  Extinction is an interesting occurrence in nature.  There have been massive extinctions and small ones.  Extinctions have played a role in opening niches and spaces for new species and adaptations to occur in our environment.  Recently, there's been a lot of news about the idea and prospect of bringing back certain species to the planet.  This news strikes me as odd and rather unusual.  The idea is certainly attractive and amazing.  Seeing rare animals is exciting enough, heck, seeing common animals is exciting!  Can you imagine seeing Tasmanian Tigers, Passenger Pigeons, Carolina Parakeets?  That would be a thrill beyond thrills.

But here's my problem.  What does extinction teach us?  Why should we become fans of extinction?  To put it simply, if we can reverse extinction, what's to push us to value the world we have now?  I think the idea that can "undo" the damage we've done to our world is good in principle but if it means that we just ignore efforts to preserve the world we have, then it becomes a dangerous one indeed.  We need to value the world we have, we also need to value the world's we lost.  It is for this reason that I question the potential effects of bringing back extinct species to life.  I don't want us to use the natural world like a playground to benefit our own curiosities.

Washington Post Article - Click here - Passenger Pigeon & Click Here- General Article