Changes

==Extinction==

==Extinction==

Locally abundant, the heath hen's range coincided with the developing American colonies; they were a cheap, easily accessible food source.  But by the time of the [[American Revolution]], it was noticed that the bird was getting scarce.  In 1830 even the great naturalist John James Audubon stated the birds were rare<ref>http://www.audubon.org/birds-of-america/pinnated-grouse</ref>. Over-hunting had taken its toll.

Locally abundant, the heath hen's range coincided with the developing American colonies; they were a cheap, easily accessible food source.  But by the time of the [[American Revolution]], it was noticed that the bird was getting scarce.  In 1830 even the great naturalist John James Audubon stated the birds were rare.<ref>http://www.audubon.org/birds-of-america/pinnated-grouse</ref>  Over-hunting had taken its toll.

The last sanctuary for the heath hen after the 1870's was the island of Martha's Vineyard, off Cape Cod.  Fifty of the birds were left alive by 1907, and there was a glimmer of hope when the population seemed to rebound to over 2,000 by 1915.  In 1916, however, a wildfire burned away much of its breeding ground; the next winter was bad, and was followed by an influx of goshawks and a poultry disease, reducing the number to an unsustainable level.  In 1918 a film was commissioned by the State of Massachusetts in a effort to draw public awareness to the vanishing bird<ref>https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2014/03/07/long-extinct-heath-hen-comes-life-archival-film/X9zKEdB6dvH71Pt6rB2tFL/story.html</ref>, and ironically became the only filmed record of the heath hen.

The last sanctuary for the heath hen after the 1870's was the island of Martha's Vineyard, off Cape Cod.  Fifty of the birds were left alive by 1907, and there was a glimmer of hope when the population seemed to rebound to over 2,000 by 1915.  In 1916, however, a wildfire burned away much of its breeding ground; the next winter was bad, and was followed by an influx of goshawks and a poultry disease, reducing the number to an unsustainable level.  In 1918 a film was commissioned by the State of Massachusetts in a effort to draw public awareness to the vanishing bird,<ref>https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2014/03/07/long-extinct-heath-hen-comes-life-archival-film/X9zKEdB6dvH71Pt6rB2tFL/story.html</ref> and ironically became the only filmed record of the heath hen.

By 1927 there were thirteen birds left, with eleven of them male.  Within five years they had dwindled down to one, a male named "Booming Ben", and he was last seen alive on March 11, 1932<ref>http://daily.jstor.org/last-heath-hen/</ref>.

By 1927 there were thirteen birds left, with eleven of them male.  Within five years they had dwindled down to one, a male named "Booming Ben", and he was last seen alive on March 11, 1932.<ref>http://daily.jstor.org/last-heath-hen/</ref>

The heath hen is also the subject of a "de-extinction" program, along with other animals such as the [[woolly mammoth]] and [[passenger pigeon]]; the hope is that the species could be revived via DNA experimentation<ref>https://vineyardgazette.com/news/2014/04/03/never-say-never-heath-hen-may-get-its-boom-back</ref><ref>http://breakthroughs.kera.org/bringing-back-the-heath-hen/</ref>.

The heath hen is also the subject of a "de-extinction" program, along with other animals such as the [[woolly mammoth]] and [[passenger pigeon]]; the hope is that the species could be revived via DNA experimentation.<ref>https://vineyardgazette.com/news/2014/04/03/never-say-never-heath-hen-may-get-its-boom-back</ref><ref>http://breakthroughs.kera.org/bringing-back-the-heath-hen/</ref>

==References==

==References==

[[Category:Birds]][[Category:Grouse]][[Category:Extinct Birds]]

[[Category:Birds]][[Category:Grouse]][[Category:Extinct Birds]]