[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index][Subject Index][Author Index]
extinct birds
HI:
There's an interesting theory about the Passenger Pigeon that came out last
year in which the pigeon was an "outbreak species". The theory says that the
passenger pigeon's numbers were kept in check by aboriginal (native) Americans
because they competed with the pigeon for food sources. When the first
Europeans came and spread diseases that killed of the aboriginal human
population, the passenger pigeon population then exploded after this human
die-off. Then came Euro-American settlement which killed off the pigeon.
See; http://news.mongabay.com/2005/1114-tina_butler_pigeon.html
Also has anyone seen this book by Steadman: Extinction and biogeography of
Tropical Pacific birds? It just came out!
--
Ian Paulsen
Bainbridge Island, WA USA
A.K.A.:Birdbooker
\"Rallidae all the way!\"