Passenger Pigeons

6/21/2014

Odd blog I know you're thinking.  But think of it as more of a conversation starter at a boring cocktail party.  I mean you have to talk about something or someone, so why not talk about pigeons?  I can pretty much guarantee that you'll be the only one there that knows anything about passenger pigeons.  On a scale of 1 to 10, talking about pigeons probably rates a one, but perhaps you can segue into talking about lions or tigers!  Or maybe not.  Even if the subject seems boring, you must give me an E for effort today!

Passenger pigeons are not to be confused with carrier pigeons, which still exist.

Three to five billion pigeons here at the time of the arrival of the first European pigeons. In 1866, one flock estimated to be 300 miles long took 14 hours to pass. John Audubon described one flock took more than three days to pass overhead.

In 1851, a dozen passenger pigeons were sold for fifty cents. 1.8 million passenger pigeons were sent to market in New York.  The pigeons were sold for food and for their feathers.

The last passenger pigeon, named Martha, died 100 years ago at the Cincinnati Zoological Gardens.  For fifteen years there was a standing offer of $1,000 to find a mate for Martha.

It took 300 pounds of ice in which Martha was packed when she was shipped to the Smithsonian after her death in 1914.  A new exhibit opens this week at the Smithsonian "Once There Were Millions: Vanished Birds of North America", and Martha is the star.

Apparently, there are 19 other birds that are now extinct and under the letter G, for instance, are three birds I've never heard of:  The Great Auk, Guadalupe Caracara and Guadalupe Storm Petrel, in case you want to learn more fun facts, which I doubt you will.

If a bird makes a deposit on my car, I don't care if it comes from an Eagle or a Crow, it's just plain annoying, particularly if it's on my windshield when I'm driving.  

Here's a poem that just about describes birds and their deposits!!  Enjoy.

Bird Poop In My Eye by John Beharry

Looking up into the sky
a bird pooped in my eye
as it was flying overhead
causing me to see red

It was warm and soggy
making me feel queasy
I scurried into the house
like an upset little mouse

I headed for the kitchen sink
and got there in a blink
Using the faucet spout
I tried to flush it out

When it was expelled
it had a funny smell
and the sink water
had a dirty colour

So when a bird is flying overhead
keep your head down instead
Do not look up into the sky
or you may get poop in your eye