The Silent Sky - Allan W. Eckert - 1965

In this powerful and poignant narrative, acclaimed nature writer Allan W. Eckert traces the life of a majestic passenger pigeon, from her emergence as a hatchling to her final days as one of the last survivors of her species. Through her eyes, readers witness the staggering abundance of a bird that once darkened American skies in flocks of billions, followed by its catastrophic decline at human hands. Eckert masterfully blends meticulous natural history with gripping storytelling, creating an unforgettable account of this avian tragedy that unfolds against the backdrop of America's rapidly changing 19th-century landscape. As the pigeon navigates perilous migrations, desperate searches for dwindling nesting grounds, and the relentless pursuit of market hunters, her story becomes both a celebration of natural wonder and a haunting elegy for what we have lost. This environmental classic serves as a moving testament to a vanished species and a powerful reminder of humanity's capacity to forever alter the natural world. The Silent Sky: The Incredible Extinction of the Passenger Pigeon - Allan W. Eckert Published 1965, Landfall Press / Little, Brown & Co. Dayton, Ohio Softcover. Approx. 5.5x8in. 243pp. In decent vintage condition. Spine is creased. Inscription on first page.