passenger pigeon

noun

: an extinct but formerly abundant North American migratory pigeon (Ectopistes migratorius)

Illustration of passenger pigeon

Illustration of passenger pigeon

Examples of passenger pigeon in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web An avid birdwatcher, Roosevelt also mourned the fact that hunting and habitat loss had killed some 3 billion passenger pigeons in the 19th century alone, driving the species to extinction. Douglas Brinkley, CBS News, 31 Dec. 2023 As a naturalist, Hornaday had witnessed the extinction of other victims of American progress: the passenger pigeon, the Audubon bighorn sheep, and the heath hen. Andrew McKean, Outdoor Life, 26 Oct. 2023 But think of all those other remarkable species that became extinct before captive breeding programs could be established--think of the passenger pigeon, the Carolina parakeet, the Tasmanian wolf, and that symbol of extinction, the dodo. Jared Diamond, Discover Magazine, 11 Nov. 2019 Using the passenger pigeon as a thought experiment, another paper in the same issue looks at the fears and excitement of leaders in the field of genomics. Breanna Draxler, Discover Magazine, 4 Apr. 2013 The most vivid accounts of squirrel irruptions date to a time when old growth forests had yet to be logged, when bison roamed the West and flocks of passenger pigeons darkened the skies. John Kelly, Washington Post, 8 Apr. 2023 Of course, there is a sizable camp of thylacine enthusiasts who believe that the animals never really went the way of the passenger pigeon and dodo, and instead live on in areas of mainland Australia, action planning and decision making blissfully unmolested by humans. Gemma Tarlach, Discover Magazine, 18 Jan. 2017 From present-day specimens like alligators to extinct passenger pigeons and endangered species like ocelots, this exhibit is truly unique to the Lone Star State. Vicki Salemi, Chron, 18 Mar. 2023 The passenger pigeon was once common, too. Brian Amaral, BostonGlobe.com, 31 Jan. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'passenger pigeon.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1772, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of passenger pigeon was in 1772

Dictionary Entries Near passenger pigeon

Cite this Entry

“Passenger pigeon.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/passenger%20pigeon. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

passenger pigeon

noun
: an extinct but formerly very common North American pigeon that migrated long distances

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