Key facts
- Black-crowned night herons in New York are facing a potential extinction.
- Their decline is compared to the passenger pigeon's disappearance.
- The cause of the herons' decline is currently unknown.
The black-crowned night heron population in New York City is facing a severe decline, with concerns that the species could disappear from the urban environment entirely. This potential vanishing act has drawn comparisons to the historical extinction of the passenger pigeon. However, the specific factors contributing to the herons' dwindling numbers in the city remain a mystery, leaving conservationists and researchers without a clear understanding of the threat.