The last Passenger Pigeon on Earth died on 1 September 1914 in Cincinnati Zoo.
100 years earlier this was the commonest bird on Earth – with a population of billions.
Why did this abundant species die out?
Should we care?
What are the lessons for today?
Book Mark Avery to speak to your Bird Club, RSPB Group, WI, lunch club, conference, evening class etc from 1 July 2014 onwards.
And the book of the talk will be out in July 2014.
Contact: [email protected]
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I thought this was a book review day! July seems a bit ambitious. My third childrens book is waiting to go to press but we need sales on the first 2 to push on.
Hi Mark,while respecting the views of conservationists I think it would be nice if they give praise to more cases where lots of farmers do exceptional things for birds.Of course it would be nice if more took part in simple things to do for wildlife but maybe criticism has the opposite effect to what is intended.
For instance I see that farmers are doing all they can for the Crane project with one putting aside 25 acres to keep marshy so to hopefully attract some of the Cranes and hope they might nest there.Although he will obviously get some income from HLS or something maybe even a contribution from RSPB I would suggest he will take a fall in his income.Surely there is a lesson there as it seems to me it is all about approaching these farmers in the proper way.Other examples are a large group in the fens and another lot for the Cirl Bunting.
My guess is that all those cases are not about money really but how they have been approached and helped with what is needed.
Of course ideally farmers would want to do things without being approached but as the world is that is not going to happen so I hope that the overworked RSPB learns from things like the Crane project and get out meeting more farmers,why not ask to go to various meetings that local NFUs have,discussion clubs and all the various breed clubs have,they have nothing to lose and farmland birds might gain.
Can only think those dislikes are anti-farmer people,that says it all if so carry on sticking your head in the sand.So far anti farmer sentiment has only hurt wildlife.That part of it I can never fathom but carry on making ordinary farmers dig their toes in and dislike you just the same as you dislike them.
It is really unbelievable that when some farmers as in the Crane project do wonderful things to bring them back to where they have been missing for 400 years it seems some people cannot appreciate their effort.
Dennis, I am not sure exactly what this has to do with Passenger Pigeons but what the heck.
You are quite right that there are farmers who do some fantastic things to promote wildlife on their land. I would say that such farmers do get credit for this from conservationists, as for example when Nicholas Watts won the wildlife farmer of the year award.
Unfortunately, the statistics on the abundance of birds and other wildlife on farmland show that most farmers are not doing enough to prevent a steady decline and if you have lived your life in the countryside, as I believe you have, then you must be aware of this decline. It is not an attack on farmers to point this out or to discuss ways in which adjusting the systems for transferring public money to farmers might shift the balance a little bit in favour of wildlife. You are fond of accusing others of sticking their heads in the sand but it would surely be doing just that to to not campaign vigorously for policies that might reverse or even slow down the loss of wildlife from the countryside.
I certainly agree that it is important that praise is given where it’s due but if the present agricultural system is failing wildlife – which it is – then conservation bodies would be failing in their duty if they did not speak out about it.
Dennis can I also say it’s just not conservationist who appreciate good farming by good farmers, us “average” walkers/birders/joggers enjoy those farms that have public access and allows us urbanites to enjoy what’s on offer, can you actually be “anti-farming”, exactly what’s the alternative on offer for those who might be “anti-farming”. I’ll try and make you an award to show you my appreciation, I’ll allow Mark to send you my email so I can send you your award.
Love the design of the PP cover – very striking & evocative. Orson Welles came to mind!
A bit Escher
Jonathon,I do agree and understand all you say but really my point would be how much publicity and praise has the three instances I quote received,answer is almost nil and yet although they alone will not help numbers of farmland birds I do honestly believe they prove that if approached in a respectful manner farmers will in general respond as I believe in all three instances lots of neighbors have participated which must mean more than some will some won’t.
I certainly do not consider the things you mention as attacks on farmers even though of course sometimes the way they are worded would be seen as such.
For sure what we all are doing at the moment(not just farmers)needs adjusting because in mmany instances things are still getting worse and maybe ironically unless farmers look at figures of farmland birds they might not notice the rate of decline.That may sound absurd but they will be looking more at their crops,cattle,fences and indeed other things.
Looking forward to reading it, Mark. We’ll have to get you back to the university to give a talk on it next academic year.
All the best for 2014 and good luck with the book,
Jeff