Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center
Breeding Range. Breeding populations of this extinct species formerly were of local occurrence in North Dakota. Records that may be applicable to breeding birds are listed in chronological order as follows:
1801--On April 22, Alexander Henry observed great numbers flying north at the Park River Post in Walsh County (Reid and Gannon 1928).
1802--On April 23, Alexander Henry observed pigeons flying north at Pembina River Post in Pembina County (Reid and Gannon 1928).
1804--On May 4, Alexander Henry observed extraordinary numbers at Pembina River in Pembina County, more than he had ever seen before (Reid and Gannon 1928).
1823--During August 5-9, Mr. Gary found this species to be very abundant in the woods at Pembina (Keating 1824).
1833--This species was recorded (month ?) along the Missouri River in the vicinity of Fort Clark in Oliver County (Maximilian 1843).
1843--On August 23, pigeons were observed flying overhead along the Missouri River about 10 miles below the mouth of the Little Missouri River (Audubon 1897).
1853-1855--Small flocks and quite a number of nests in small trees were observed along the Missouri River between Fort Pierre [in South Dakota] and Fort Berthold in Mercer County, North Dakota (Cooper 1859).
1856--On August 8, a male was collected along the Missouri River above the mouth of the Yellowstone River by [F. V.] Hayden (Baird et al.1858).
1861--On August 7, "pigeons" were frequently observed in small flights in the vicinity of Pembina (White 1959).
1873--Records by Coues (1874, 1878) as follows: During the latter part of May, vast numbers were observed in the timber along the Red River for many miles from Pembina southward. For several days the immense flocks were almost continually in view. Many nested in this region; females ready to lay were found, and nests were observed during the greater part of June. The nests were usually in the horizontal forks of branches of small trees and saplings, generally 10 or 12 feet from the ground. In the vicinity of Pembina a nest containing a single egg was collected on June 13, and specimens of adults were collected on June 4, June 7, June 12, and June 14; a few birds also straggled westward to the Turtle Mountains, where one bird was shot in July.
1874--On August 28, near the site of New Salem, Morton County, a Passenger Pigeon was observed closely during a spectacular chase by a Peregrine Falcon (Grinnell 1875).
1879--During July, a small flock was observed at Pembina (Abbott 1880).
1891--On April 22, a flock of 500 was recorded at Larimore in Grand Forks County (Taxi 1892).
1892--On March 26, a large flock was observed at Larimore (Taxi 1892).