MAINE SUNDAY TELEGRAM • October 25, 2020
The 1820 federal census recorded almost 300,000 people in Maine. Our population now has increased a bit more than four-fold. We obviously don’t have census data for birds dating back to the 19th century, but I think I can make a case for a strong decline in our total bird population since 1820. Let’s start with birds that were found in Maine in 1820 but are no longer with us: great auk, Labrador duck, greater prairie chicken, heath hens, passenger pigeons. ~ Herb Wilson