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| Photo from Wikimedia Commons |
Have you ever seen a Passenger Pigeon? If you have, it was likely a
picture of one, because the pigeon became extinct on September 1, 1914 – one hundred
years ago this month!
At one time the Passenger Pigeon numbered in the billions in
North America and their flocks covered the sky. See a simulation of what the
sky might have looked like back when Europeans first came to North America at http://foldtheflock.org.
The Passenger Pigeon could fly as fast as sixty miles an hour as they
migrated from Canada and what are now our northern states down into our
southern states. They were so numerous that they provided many a tasty meal to
settlers. By the early 20th Century, as human population increased, the
birds’ habitats diminished and their eggs and bodies were voraciously
devoured.
Records show that on March 24, 1900, a boy in Ohio shot the
last wild Passenger Pigeon. And on September 1, 1914, Martha, the last captive
Passenger Pigeon died at the Cincinnati Zoo.
The Lost Bird Project, an arts-based environmental non-profit organization attempts to connect people more meaningfully with nature through art. That group initiated the "Fold the Flock" movement to increase sensitivity to the plight of endangered species. Participants are asked to fold origami birds to symbolically re-create a flock of Passenger Pigeons. As of September 2, 2014, 398,913 origami birds had been folded and reported to the website. (You can see who has been folding by going to the Participants page.)
On August 20, 2014, Texas Master Naturalists in the El Camino Real and the Brazos Valley chapters told the story of the Passenger Pigeon to children at the Apple Tree Preschool/Day Care Center in Cameron, TX, and invited them to be a part of the "Fold the Flock" movement. Twelve participants colored and folded paper birds in memory of this extinct bird.
Members of the Master Naturalist Program in the El Camino Real and the Brazos Valley Chapters will be asked to "Fold the Bird" at their respective September 2014 monthly meetings.
On September 11, 2014, at the Brazos Valley Chapter meeting, Dr. Rick Laughlin will speak briefly about the Passenger Pigeon and why it is so important to record nature sightings. With his professional training in molecular and mico-biologies, he understands the importance of using data to understand complex biologic processes and events. His talk will concentrate on the use of the eBird.org for recording bird sightings and behavior.
After the talk participants will have an opportunity to add origami "foldings" and be added to the growing flock of concerned humans. Instructions and paper will be supplied.
If you would like to add to the flock separately, go to foldtheflock.org for origami downloads and complete instructions.
Posted by Joyce Conner (joyce@conner.net).
The Lost Bird Project, an arts-based environmental non-profit organization attempts to connect people more meaningfully with nature through art. That group initiated the "Fold the Flock" movement to increase sensitivity to the plight of endangered species. Participants are asked to fold origami birds to symbolically re-create a flock of Passenger Pigeons. As of September 2, 2014, 398,913 origami birds had been folded and reported to the website. (You can see who has been folding by going to the Participants page.)
On August 20, 2014, Texas Master Naturalists in the El Camino Real and the Brazos Valley chapters told the story of the Passenger Pigeon to children at the Apple Tree Preschool/Day Care Center in Cameron, TX, and invited them to be a part of the "Fold the Flock" movement. Twelve participants colored and folded paper birds in memory of this extinct bird.
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| Coloring Passenger Pigeon Origami Birds (Photo by Katherine Bedrich, El Camino Real Chapter) |
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| Most of the Apple Tree School Participants Showing Their Flock (Photo by Katherine Bedrich) |
On September 11, 2014, at the Brazos Valley Chapter meeting, Dr. Rick Laughlin will speak briefly about the Passenger Pigeon and why it is so important to record nature sightings. With his professional training in molecular and mico-biologies, he understands the importance of using data to understand complex biologic processes and events. His talk will concentrate on the use of the eBird.org for recording bird sightings and behavior.
After the talk participants will have an opportunity to add origami "foldings" and be added to the growing flock of concerned humans. Instructions and paper will be supplied.
If you would like to add to the flock separately, go to foldtheflock.org for origami downloads and complete instructions.
Posted by Joyce Conner (joyce@conner.net).
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