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Once They Were Billions
Vanished Birds of North America
Once an amazing diversity of birds -- some in breathtaking abundance -- inhabited the vast forests and plains of North America. But starting around 1600, species began to disappear as settlers altered pristine habitats, over-hunted, and introduced predators.
The story of Martha, the last Passenger Pigeon, and the disappearance of the Great Auk, Carolina Parakeet, and Heath Hen reveal the fragile connections between species and their environment. Illustrations come from the Biodiversity Heritage Library, a global project that is changing the way research is done by digitizing and freely sharing biodiversity publications with scientists and other users around the world. |