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The Causes of Extinction of the Passenger Pigeon

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Book cover Current Ornithology

Part of the book series: Current Ornithology ((CUOR,volume 9))

Abstract

Extinction of the Passenger Pigeon (Ectopistes migratorius) is unique not only because of its rapid decline from being one of the world’s most abundant birds, but also because a considerable amount of information on the bird’s natural history is available in the records of early naturalists, travelers, and even the press. This information, a great part of which has been reviewed and summarized in Schorger’s (1955) monumental work, allows a detailed analysis of the factors that may have led to the species’ extinction and helps to reduce the number of plausible explanations. Beyond the intellectual challenge of such an analysis, an explanation of the causes of the Passenger Pigeon extinction may provide insights that are helpful in current efforts to prevent the extinction of many endangered species.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center for Applied Zoology, University of Córdoba, Córdoba, 5000, Argentina

    Enrique H. Bucher

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  1. Enrique H. Bucher
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  1. Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, Santa Barbara, California, USA

    Dennis M. Power

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Bucher, E.H. (1992). The Causes of Extinction of the Passenger Pigeon. In: Power, D.M. (eds) Current Ornithology. Current Ornithology, vol 9. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4757-9921-7_1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4757-9921-7_1

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