Passing of the Passenger Pigeon

Two Noted Northwest Arkansas PhD’s Set to Tag Team at Hobbs State Park to Tell of the Passing of the Passenger Pigeon

The story of the once abundant, and now extinct, Passenger Pigeon is a sad reminder of the recklessness of man.  Although this bird has been soundly chronicled in our history, new information on its unnecessary demise still creeps out of recently-discovered quotes from those who witnessed the capture, unimaginable killing, and multiple uses of this luckless fowl.

Dr. Nancy Glover McCartney, curator of Zoology at the University of Arkansas Museum, cares for the collections of 100,000 lots of deceased mammals, birds, fish, amphibians, and reptiles.  Two bird mounts in the collection are actual male and female Passenger Pigeons.  McCartney will be bringing those two mounts to Hobbs State Park on August 31st for a rare opportunity for the public to see the mounted remains of actual Passenger Pigeons.

Dr. Douglas James of the University of Arkansas’s Department of Biological Sciences is a well-known author and researcher.  James will bring a specimen of a Band-Tailed Pigeon which is the closest relative to the Passenger Pigeon.  He will explain how DNA specialists are using DNA from Passenger Pigeon specimens to try to bring this extinct bird back to life.

Dr. McCartney and Dr. James will discuss topics including: How the extinction of the passenger Pigeon began the decrease in biodiversity in North America, how the extinction of the most numerous bird in the world means people can easily cause the extinction of all other life upon which we depend, and how the disappearance of the Passenger Pigeon is responsible for the explosion in the deer population we are now experiencing. 

Where:  Hobbs State Park visitor center on Hwy 12 just east of the Hwy 12/War Eagle Road intersection.
When:    2:00 p.m. Sunday August 31, 2014
Cost:      FREE – The public is encouraged to attend this very unique program.

This presentation is a continuation of the Friends of Hobbs Speaker Series.  For more information call:  479-789-5000