When considering extinct species, many people may think of historical extinctions caused by geological or environmental factors. However, there are plenty of modern species that have become extinct or endangered. In the last century, four avian species have disappeared from Indiana.
“There are four birds native to Indiana that are considered extinct,” said Damon Lowe, Curator of Biology. “Samples of the Passenger Pigeon and the Carolina Parakeet are both on display in our Nineteenth State gallery. We have an Eskimo Curlew mount and we’re still looking for an Ivory-billed Woodpecker.
"Both the Curlew and the Ivory-billed are not officially considered extinct," he said. "The Curlew has not been seen since the early 1980s, and only recently, the Ivory-billed, which was considered extinct, was spotted in Arkansas.”
Mounts of these four species are rare. Only 1,532 known Passenger Pigeon mounts, 720 Carolina Parakeet mounts, 413 Ivory-billed Woodpecker mounts and 365 Eskimo Curlew mounts still exist. The maintenance and presentation of these species is important in supporting the Indiana State Museum’s mission of interpreting and presenting material evidence of Indiana’s cultural and natural history.
The museum has maintained its Passenger Pigeon mount for many years. At one time, Passenger Pigeons, which became extinct in 1914, were so numerous that it was said, “a hunter could kill 1,000 before breakfast.” According to historical reports, they would roost in the millions and sometimes flew in flocks a mile wide. The species became extinct because of over-hunting and habitat destruction - and its popularity as a delicacy.
The Carolina Parakeet became extinct in 1918 also due to over-hunting and habitat destruction. This species’ defense mechanism against predators didn’t help on its path to extinction.
“They liked to eat crops in farmers’ orchards. When one of them would be killed and drop to the ground, the others would circle around it in an attempt to scare off the predator,” Lowe said. “This made them particularly easy pests for farmers to hunt.”
The same collector who sold the museum its Carolina Parakeet mount, donated an Eskimo Curlew mount that was missing both its feet. Lowe said he is looking for a Lesser Curlew mount with feet he can use to replace the missing feet.
On day Lowe hopes to use the extinct and endangered collection to create a special exhibit that would address the causes of modern extinctions and present ways the Indiana Department of Natural Resources is re-introducing endangered species.
“I’d like to see something that focuses on re-introduction and proper stewardship of the land,” Lowe says. “The DNR has had success with other re-introduction programs. Eagles are the poster children for re-introduction – we now have 62 nesting pairs of eagles statewide in Indiana thanks to re-introduction. However, even if it was possible, I don’t think we’d want to bring back the Passenger Pigeon. Think of the car washing costs alone.”