The Passenger Pigeon (Audubon)

The pigeon of that country is something different from our dove-house pigeons in England, being more like turtles, of the same color. They have long tails like a magpie. And they seem not so big, because they carry not many feathers on their backs as our English doves, yet they are as big in body.

-1634. William Wood. New Englands Prospect. p. 50. Vaughn ed.

These turtles were the dove sort, not the Teen-aged Mutant Ninja type. All part of the pigeon/dove clan. The particular pigeon they were referring to in the 17th century were the  Ectopistes migratorius also known now as the Passenger Pigeon. The pigeons in the park are a different – and invasive – species. They are NOT good to eat.

These birds come in the country to go to the north parts in the beginning of our spring, at which time (if I may be counted to be worthy to be believed in a thing that is not so strange as true) I have seen them fly as if the airy regiment had been pigeons, seeing neither beginning nor ending, length or breadth of these millions of millions. The shouting of people, the rattling of guns, and pelting of small shot could not drive them out of their course, but so they continued for four or five hours together. Yet it must not be concluded that is thus often, for it is but the beginning of the spring, and at Michaelmas when they return back to the southward; yet are there some all year long, which are easily attained by suck as to look after them. Many of them build amongst the pine trees, thirty miles to the northeast of our plantations, joining nest to nest and tree to tree by their nests, so that the sun never sees the ground in that place, from whence the Indians fetch whole loads of them.

- 1634. William Wood. New Englands Prospect. p. 50. Vaughn ed.

Passenger Pigeons in flight (19th century engraving)

The Pidgeon, of which there are millions of millions, I have seen a flight of Pidgeons in the spring, and at Michaelmas when they return back to the Southward for four or five miles, that to my thinking had neither beginning nor ending, length nor breadth, and so thick that I could see no Sun, they joyn Nest to Nest, and Tree to Tree by their Nests many miles together in Pine-Trees. But of late they are much diminished, the English taking them with Nets. I have bought at Boston a dozen Pidgeons ready pull’d and garbidged for three pence.

-  1674. John Josslyn. Two Voyages to New-England. p.71. Lindholt ed.

Netting pigeons from 1826

John Josslyn was right to worry. The last passenger pigeon died in 1914. Her name was Martha (the penultimate passenger pigeon was a boy bird named George….) She’s been on display at the Smithsonian, and there’s a special mausoleum for her at the Cincinnati Zoo.

Martha the last Passenger Pigeon, while she was still alive

It seems more then a little heartless to offer a recipe here, but please note that this one is also good for woodcocks and partridges.

“In the Winter time I have seene Flockes of Pidgeons, and I have eaten of them…”

-         1630. Francis Higgonson.

To boyle Pigeons.

Parboyle your Pigeons with Parsley in their bellies, and Butter: put them in a Pipkin with strong broth, about a quart thereof, a ribbe of Mutton, large Mace, a little grosse Pepper, beaten Sinamon, a little Ginger and Sugar, a few Razins of the Sunne, a few Currens, Barberryes in bunches, halfe a pinte of white wine, boyle all together with a little Bread steeped in broath, to collour it: straine it with some of the broth, and put it into a Pipkin: let them boyle till they be enough, and so serve them in. This broth may serve to boyle Woodcockes, or Parridges in, with this difference, take some of the broth out of the Pigeon, and put in a minst Onyon. Let it boyl untill it be enough.

1615. John Murrell. A New Book of Cookerie. pp.28-9. Falconwood Press: 1989.

 

Martha - after death