The
Passenger Pigeon
The passenger pigeon (Ectopistes migratorius) was a very
elegant bird. It had a slender body with long wings and powerful
breast muscles that were used for their prolonged, fast flights.
They were a slaty-blue on their backs and a deep pink color on their
breasts with bright red eyes. They molt once every August and
September. A jerky walk and nod where only their head moved were
two physical habits of the passenger pigeon. These birds also did
not have a soft coo like most of their close relatives instead they
were quite loud, especially when
breeding. When a passenger pigeon
became frightened it would beat its wings together to sound an
alarm. If an alarm was sounded or one bird flew away the entire
flock would follow. Passenger pigeons were highly gregarious always
traveling in large flocks. The largest flock ever described was in
Wisconsin and covered 850 square miles. The flocks also had an
itinerant habit meaning they only stayed in one area until the
food
supply was gone. The passenger pigeon was given its name based on
these habits. The passenger pigeon’s main predators were humans,
wolves, foxes, lynxes, cougars, bears, raccoons, opossums,
pole-cats, eagles, hawks, vultures, and owls. The passenger pigeon
became extinct in 1914.
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