Birdsong field guide
Passenger Pigeon
Ectopistes migratorius
An extinct, highly social North American pigeon once known for forming the largest flocks of any bird species on Earth.
What it sounds like
Loud, harsh scolding notes described as 'kee-kee-kee-kee' and various clucks, croaks, and soft coos.
Reference call, compare with what you heard
No reference call found yet · Xeno-canto
Field notes
- Once the most abundant bird in North America, with a population estimated at 3 to 5 billion individuals.
- Migratory flocks were so dense they were reported to black out the sun for days at a time.
- Nesting colonies were immense, sometimes covering over 800 square miles and breaking tree limbs under their collective weight.
- They were exceptionally fast flyers, capable of reaching speeds estimated at 60 miles per hour.
- The species went from extreme abundance to extinction in less than a century; the last individual, Martha, died in 1914.
Habitat
Primary deciduous forests, particularly those dominated by mast-producing trees like oak and beech.
Range
Eastern and Central North America, ranging from southern Canada to the Gulf Coast.
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