Tympanuchus cupido cupido
The heath hen, a subspecies of the prairie chicken, was once found in the eastern United States. Before the American Revolution, it was common from Maine to Virginia. As the human population increased, the heath hen population decreased, largely due to hunting.
It was once considered quite tasty and was rather easy to kill. Prior to the American Revolution, the heath hen was found in the eastern United States from Maine to Virginia.Expanding human populations in colonies caused great reductions in heath hen populations. By the 1870s the only heath hens left, occupied a tiny island called Martha's Vineyard off the coast of Cape Cod in Massachusetts. By 1907 there were fewer than 100 heath hens left in the United States.
Efforts were made to save the remaining heath hens and a sanctuary was created for them on Martha's Vineyard, a small island off the coast of Massachusetts. By 1916 the population slowly increased to over 800 birds, but a large part of their breeding ground was destroyed by fire that year. This, along with an unusually harsh winter the following year and an increase in the goshawk population, reduced the heath hen population to 100 birds. By 1920 their numbers had doubled to 200 birds. In 1921 a disease carried by domestic chickens spread to the heath hen population and their number dropped to 100 birds. By 1927 there were only 13 heath hens left. The last heath hen died in 1932. Another documented North American extinction
For more information then go to www.Historical-taxidermy.com
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