“The numbers are so great the sky itself begins to
darken” - Extinct Bird - Passenger Pigeon
The most abundant bird in the entire world
Passenger
pigeons were the victims of hunters from barely one hundred years. For
millennia, the sleek long-distance flyer was the most abundant bird in North
America and perhaps the world. Then, in a matter of decades, humans slaughtered
them all to completely extinction.
The common
name of passenger pigeons comes from the French term pigeon de passage,
which means passing by, referring to massive migrations of them across
the firmament. It had a typical high-speed wings, which allows them to be one
of the fastest-flying bird.
“The numbers
are so great the sky itself begins to darken”
A flock of
passenger pigeons reported in Ontario was described as being a mile wide and
300 miles long. That incredible flock was taking almost 14 hours to pass
overhead.
From billion
to none
Pigeon meat
was commercialized as one of the cheapest food, probably cheaper than poultry,
were second only to wild turkey, which resulting in hunting on a massive scale
for many decades. Humans ate wild pigeons in huge amount, but they were also
killed, because they were seen as a thread for agriculture.
Hunting them
were incredible easy. One shot from double-barreled 12-gauge (bore) shotgun to
flock always results killing couple of them. There were creating contests to
shoot as much of them as possible. In one competition, the winner had killed
around 30 000.
Peoples were
creating traps. Big net can caught thousands of them per hour. Humans torched their
roosts and asphyxiated them with burning sulfur. They attacked the birds with
rakes, pitchforks, rocks and potatoes. They poisoned them with whiskey-soaked
corn.
The last
confirmed wild bird is thought to have been shot in 1901, the last
representat of that species - Martha - died 13 years later in Cincinnati Zoo.
My questions:
1. Have you ever heard about passenger pigeons?
2. What do you think about that humans behavior?
3. Have you ever heard about any other species which were extinct by humans?
Sources:
https://www.forbes.com/sites/grrlscientist/2017/11/24/why-did-the-passenger-pigeon-go-extinct/#49e1ce9a2a9d
https://blog.history.in.gov/flocks-that-darken-the-heavens-the-passenger-pigeon-in-indiana/
https://www.theguardian.com/books/2014/aug/29/passenger-pigeon-100-years-extinction
http://blog.press.princeton.edu/2014/09/10/the-numbers-are-so-great-the-sky-itself-begins-to-darken-an-excerpt-from-the-passenger-pigeon-by-errol-fuller/
https://blog.history.in.gov/flocks-that-darken-the-heavens-the-passenger-pigeon-in-indiana/
https://www.biologicaldiversity.org/species/birds/passenger_pigeon/index.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Passenger_pigeon
http://blog.press.princeton.edu/2015/07/31/bird-fact-friday-passenger-pigeons/
https://www.audubon.org/magazine/may-june-2014/why-passenger-pigeon-went-extinct
Comments
However, after that doomsday, the life will come back. Perhaps, not repeating the same mistake, creating humans.
Btw. I recommend you to read about Dodos or Tasmanian Tigers. They also have been exterminated by humans and they story are also very interesting (at least for me :)).
I think that such behavior isn’t very responsible and should be avoided. In my opinion people should preserve as much species as possible. Although I understand that in certain conditions, men won’t stop from eating some animal because it is from rare specie. Probably if I were starving, I wouldn’t hesitate too. However killing and exterminating whole specie because it has nice fur or feather or some similar reason is unacceptable.
I have heard about a lot of species that went extinct because of humans, for example Dodo birds, which were, like passenger pigeons, easy to hunt.
Yes, I have heard about them but I didn't know how they extinct.
2. What do you think about that humans behavior?
I wrote about similar issue some weeks ago. Generally, people didn't care and still don't care about the world and the environment. They already devastated Earth, nature, animals and what is the difference if one or two more species become extinct right? We don't need animals. We can always Google them...
3. Have you ever heard about any other species which were extinct by humans?
Yes, the recent very wide spread was The Northern White Rhino extinction but there were also some other species which extinct recently like: Pinta Island Tortoise or Pyrenean Ibex.
Yes, I previously heard about this kind of bird. I knew that they were extinct, but did not know about such unique numbers about them
What do you think about that humans behavior?
The population of many animals unfortunately decreases due to human actions. Now a lot of endangered species of animals suffer from the hands of poachers, all due to the fact that their carcasses are very valuable in the black markets, especially those components that are used for pharmaceutical purposes (for example, rhino horn)
Have you ever heard about any other species which were extinct by humans?
Yes, for example the marsupial wolf. Last year, I heard that scientists want to use their genetic material to restore this species, and I don’t know how successful these experiments were
1. Have you ever heard about passenger pigeons?
I have never heard of them, they are very nice. However, it is sad to hear about them in such a nasty way for the first time.
2. What do you think about this behavior of people?
People have always had barbaric behavior towards animals, nature or people themselves. Of course, when there is no other way out, such behavior can be explained in some way, however, these are extreme cases.
3. Have you ever heard about other species extinct by humans?
Yes, there are a lot of such species, to a greater extent, animals are dying by people, how people change their surroundings and contribute to the earthly changes, tons of rubbish, polluted water ... Just go to Masurian lakes, in them almost no fish.
s12560
2. I can understand the reasoning behind this kind of behavior. The meat was cheap and easily accessible, so it should be no surprise that the number of passenger pigeons dropped drastically and eventually reached extinction. People always put themselves in the first place and rarely consider other species and consequences of their decisions until it is far too late.
3. Tasmanian tigers went extinct somewhen around 1930's. It is mostly because of the bounty that was put on their heads by the Tasmanian government.
I think that humans should pay more attention to the extinct species.
Actually there are lots of species that have become extinct, because of humans.
Tons of species were exterminated, because of fear. Humans seen them as a thread. The most signature example was Tasmanian tiger. People killed them all, because they tough that this animal is killing their sheep. People wasn't right. Tasmanian tiger didn't hunt single of sheep. Humans misread pretty badly the whole situation, criminating Tasmanian tiger.
No, I did not hear about them.
2. What do you think about that humans behavior?
Humans don't changes, in the past they all time kill something, and they still do it.
3. Have you ever heard about any other species which were extinct by humans?
If I'm not mistaken Mammoths.
No, it is the first time I hear about passenger pigeons.
2. What do you think about that humans behaviour?
Eradicating a species can lead to wide range of problems. For example, eradicated species of birds can end up in massive infestation of bugs eating crops or caring desieses.
3. Have you ever heard about any other species which were extinct by humans?
Yes of course. Many of them. 80% of big mammals in North and South America were extinct after the humans colonised them. All over the word, most of them in prehistory. Our ancestors really outdid themself in that matter.
Humans have a very long history of driving other species to extinction. When we first arrived in Asia and Europe, we killed all giant animals on those continents. Wooly Mammoths, saber tigers and others. The same on North and South Americas. I hope one day we'll grow up finally and we'll stop killing animals altogether, but it will take many more years I guess.
Sure, decreasing population of some species can have fatal consequences in future. On the other hand, enormous population can be disastrous for us, so sometimes we need to control population. Anyone like it, but sometimes we need to do that.
Personally, I think, such humans behavior is thoughtless. We have to look after our nature to prevent such horrible events. Human activities and poor ecology have led to the fact that various types of living organisms continue to die out.
Yes, I have heard about some species like Black rhinoceros and North American cougar.
For example.
Tarpana — fast and extremely hardy, vigorous animal, very angry and wild, not giving in to domestication at mature age.
Dodo lived on Mauritius several centuries, without being afraid at all of the natural enemies who just did not exist on the island. For this reason the bird was not flying — to her it was simple there is nobody to hide.
Tasmaniysky or marsupial the wolf known also as "тилацин", lived in the territory of continental Australia and the island New Guinea. For the first time its area of dwelling underwent change after to New Guinea people transported dingo dogs. The last forced out a marsupial of a wolf from his ordinary habitat, and presently he "moved" to live on the island of Tasmania.
I will not continue further...
Source of information on animals: https://fishki.net/2308066-zhivotnye-kotoryh-bolyshe-ne-suwestvuet-po-vine-cheloveka.html
© Fishki.net
I think that people's behavior is terrible.
Yes, every year the matter of the protection of animals on extinction is raised by different organizations like a WWF. Human activities such as oil mining, mining, car fumes, burning garbage, throwing garbage into the forests and feeding animals with improper food etc. cause millions of killed innocent animals every year. People should start to take care more about the environment because they also harm themselves. Every year a lot of people is going to be sick for the serious diseases such a lung cancer, which is caused by human activity.
I believe that we should take care of the environment, but unfortunately it isn't as good as it seems and people don't care.
That is a lot of species that have gone extinct (I think), but there are a lot of which are fewer people.
Yes, I’ve heard it before as an example of destructive human behaviour in response to words by our environment minister. He literally said that there is no animal species that people extinct by hunting.
2. What do you think about that humans behavior?
I think that no matter what we are still animals and it is possible that will never change our savage behaviors. As a specie we destroy things even when they do not threaten us at all.
3. Have you ever heard about any other species which were extinct by humans?
Yes. Other one example may be aurochs
I think one day we were regret destroying some species of fauna and flora. Of course, wiping out birds by poisoning them is a very brutal and insidious move to make. I guess many people back that time didn't have much empathy for nature and thought that it is up to them which creatures are pests.
I've heard about Tasmanian tigers that went extinct somewhere at the beginning of the 20th century.
Ya, I heard his words too. To be honest, I didn't expect that words from person who have been ascended to that high position. I don't want to start here political polemic, but in my opinion, someone who holds that type of position should have basic knowledge about environment.
I don't approve such actions. People are able to wipe out some species for money, fun and other useless things.
I've heard about a Tasmanian wolf.
This is the first time I hear about these pigeons but it's very interesting and also very sad that they extinct. I don't know a person who likes today pigeons, they are even called "rats with wings". I don't mind pigeons but I can't say that they are my favourite animals.
2. What do you think about that humans behavior?
I'm not a vegetarian and I'm not opposed to killing animals in order to eat them. But when it is all about killing and have fun I am definetly contrary.
3. Have you ever heard about any other species which were extinct by humans?
Yes, recently northern white rhino extict because of poaching.
I haven't heard about them before. You prepared a really nice and educative presentation. It was short yet very interesting.
2. What do you think about that humans behavior?
It's hard to tell. Those times were different. People had different knowledge about animals and perceived them in different way. Still shooting to flocks of birds for fun seems disgusting to me.
3. Have you ever heard about any other species which were extinct by humans?
I know that american bisons almost got extinct because of human actions.