The first step in wild release will be a “soft release” . Large flight aviaries encompassing entire trees set within forest locations will be constructed at sties within the former breeding range (spring locations) and roosting/foraging ranges (Autumn and Winter) of the passenger pigeon. These structures will allow flock managers to monitor how the birds cope with natural weather conditions. The enclosures can be designed to introduce other species to observe interactions – such as how the birds’ response to squirrels, rabbits, deer, etc.

Passenger pigeons were nomadic; to prevent the birds from acclimating to specific sites and becoming “migratory” the birds will be rotated randomly between multiple spring, summer, and winter sites. Moving the birds will be the one of the projects biggest challenges. Cranes and geese raised in captivity have been taught flight movements by airplanes. It may be possible to fly passenger pigeons using specialized drones – but a more natural solution may be achievable using homing pigeons as surrogate flocks to lead the passenger pigeons from one site to another. This strategy poses a big risk – the birds will be completely free temporarily. The birds may scatter and not follow the surrogate flock. All birds will be implanted with micro-GPS trackers to trace their movements – in this way we can locate and retrieve birds that wander, but more importantly we can observe if the birds are forming the tight social units that historic passenger pigeons did. In time it may be possible to stop using the homing pigeons to lead new batches of passenger pigeons.

Once it appears that the pigeons bred and raised in soft release rotation are adapted to natural conditions and flock in the manner that is desired we can begin releasing test flocks to the wild. The first birds free in the wild will still be monitored by GPS for study. This population will likely be designated as an experimental population for research until it is self sustaining.

The Goal

Our goal is to release the first test flocks in 2032. The wild population will be stocked from soft release sites until it appears to be sustaining. This may be possible in less than twenty years with a target goal of 10,000 wild birds exhibiting self-sustained population growth.