Question

The Carolina parakeet was the only parrot in North America. They were hunted to extinction primarily for what?

  meat (canned)

  sport

  because they were a pest

  for decoration on women's hats

  The parakeet went extinct due to natural reasons, not due to man

Answer 1

For the extinction of this species many factor plays the major and minor roles.Among that

i.) Meat(canned)- In some parts of North America they were consumed as meat.

ii.) Sport- Some extinct birds were kept in zoo and used in circus but not used for sport

iii.) Decoration on Women's hat- It plays an important role in which many of them were hunted and their colorful feathers were used to decorate on Women's hat-.

iv.) The Parakeet went extinct due to natural reasons not due to man- I think it doesnot play any vital role for extinction because this species can leave upto 35 years of age and it has long life span and for natural reasons it doesnot come for extinction.

-The evidence is indicative that humans had at least a contributory role in the extinction of the Carolina parakeet, through a variety of means.

*Chief was deforestation in the 18th and 19th centuries. *Hunting played a significant role, both for decorative use of their colorful feathers, for example, adornment of women's hats, and for reduction of crop predation.

This was partially offset by the recognition of their value in controlling invasive cockleburs.

A factor that exacerbated their decline to extinction was the flocking behavior that led them to return to the vicinity of dead and dying birds (e.g., birds downed by hunting), enabling wholesale slaughter.

The final extinction of the species in the early years of the 20th century is somewhat of a mystery, as it happened so rapidly. Vigorous flocks with many juveniles and reproducing pairs were noted as late as 1896, and the birds were long-lived in captivity, but they had virtually disappeared by 1904. Sufficient nest sites remained intact, so deforestation was not the final cause. American ornithologist Noel F. Snyder[ speculates that the most likely cause seems to be that the birds succumbed to poultry disease, although no recent or historical records exist of New World parrot populations being afflicted by domestic poultry diseases.