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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!\"