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Reginato River Access Trail Walk

By on January 22, 2023 in
Rock Pigeon

Rock Pigeon

Doves versus pigeons – is there really a difference between the two? Why is one a beloved symbol of peace and the other often a reviled city nuisance? They both belong to the same family of birds, Columbidae. Can we see all four species of Columbiformes present in Shasta County on one bird walk?

Find out the answers to these questions by joining Wintu Audubon Education Chair Tricia Ford on Thursday, February 9 at 9am for a walk along the John Reginato River Access Trail, which begins near the canoe and kayak launch area at the South Bonnyview boat ramp, 3810 South Bonnyview Road. We will spend about two hours walking less than two miles on a rocky path with river cobblestones. Hiking boots are recommended. There is a port-a-potty at the boat ramp.

This is the fifth in a series of eight walks, one per month from October through May, exploring City of Redding parks and trails for opportunities to see birds. If it is raining at the site at the start time of the walk, the event will be canceled. Contact triciathebirdnerd@gmail.com for more information.

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Last Known Passenger Pigeon Martha Died 100 Years Ago

By on August 30, 2014 in Conservation
Passenger Pigeon

Passenger Pigeon (image from Wikipedia Commons)

The Passenger Pigeon (Ectopistes migratorius) was once the most abundant bird in North America, and possibly the world. These seemingly numberless flocks were considered an infinite resource and exploited so drastically that the species was driven to extinction in mere decades.

One flock in 1866 in southern Ontario was described as being 1 mile wide and 300 miles long, took 14 hours to pass, and held in excess of 3.5 billion birds.

Passenger Pigeons

Lewis Cross: Passenger Pigeons in Flight, painted in 1937

The extinction of the Passenger Pigeon had two major causes: commercial exploitation of pigeon meat on a massive scale and loss of habitat. Large flocks and communal breeding made the species highly vulnerable to hunting. As the flocks dwindled in size, populations decreased below the threshold necessary to propagate the species.

Naturalist Paul R. Ehrlich wrote that its extinction “illustrates a very important principle of conservation biology: it is not always necessary to kill the last pair of a species to force it to extinction.”

The story of the Passenger Pigeon is a poignant reminder of the need for effective conservation. The 100th anniversary of the species’ disappearance reminds legislators and people everywhere of the importance of protecting endangered wildlife before it’s too late.

Protecting endangered wildlife is part of Audubon’s Mission: “To conserve and restore natural ecosystems, focusing on birds, other wildlife, and their habitats for the benefit of humanity and the earth’s biological diversity.”