Extinction of the Passenger Pigeon

Date: September 1, 1914 • Location: Paris, France

The passenger pigeon, which once numbered in the billions, became extinct when the last individual died in captivity.

The passenger pigeon or wild pigeon is an extinct species of pigeon that was endemic to North America. Its common name is derived from the French word passager, meaning "passing by", due to the migratory habits of the species. The scientific name also refers to its migratory characteristics. The morphologically similar mourning dove was long thought to be its closest relative, and the two were at times confused, but genetic analysis has shown that the genus Patagioenas is more closely related to it than the Zenaida doves.