A FEATHER FROM THE EXTINCT PASSENGER PIGEON

A FEATHER FROM THE EXTINCT PASSENGER PIGEONa downy feather from an adult female of the iconic extinct North American Passenger Pigeon (Ectopistes migratorius), together with a slightly smaller feather in poor condition which the buyer may decide to dispose of, 5.9 cm in lengthThis species was once the most abundant bird in North America, numbering around 3-5 billion individuals. Flocks would darken the sky and one flock took 14 hours to pass overhead. Hunting of this species for food intensified after the arrival of Europeans, particularly in the 19th century, and this coupled with habitat destruction led to the species decline and final extinction. The last confirmed wild bird is thought to have been shot in 1901 and Martha, the last captive bird, died in September 1914 at Cincinnati Zoo. This feather originated from the collection of respected UK taxidermist Barry Williams and will be supplied with a copy of his COA and photo of the actual bird it came from.