Carolina Parakeet

Description:

Now extinct (1904 wild, 1918 captive), this was the only native parrot in the eastern United States. The Carolina parakeet was a small parrot about 12 inches long that weighed about 10 ounces. According to Imhof, it resembled the mourning dove (Zenaida macroura) in shape, size and long tail. This native parrot was splendidly colorful as its body was bright green crowned with a yellow head and an orange face and bill. A small patch of yellow was on its wings.

Habitat:

Swampland, nesting in hollow trees, low areas surrounding lakes

Notes:

These birds were probably victims of many factors. Human expansion reduced terrain and the interest in decoration created a trade. They were also kept as pets. As flocking birds, they would return to sites where they had just been shot at. Combining those factors with disease was simply too much for the species. This specimen was viewed at The Moore Laboratory of Zoology at Occidental College. The Moore houses approximately 60,000 bird specimens. Most are from Mexico and the southwest. Most of the collection was put together before 1900, and it houses both extinct and rare species. http://college.oxy.edu/mlz/