Texas Intelligence - Swarms of Pigeons

The Quitman Herald mentions the appearance of great swarms of wild pigeons there. The people were amusing themselves shooting them.

December 11, 1860. Texas intelligence. Memphis Daily Appeal 11(290): 2.

Millions of Wild Pigeons in Texas

Jewett, Texas, Nov. 1. — Millions of wild pigeons have appeared within the last two days. They are devouring the mast for many miles around, destroying the prospects of the pork crop for the benefit of the sportsmen. The information is given that their roost is near the Bondsman place, about five miles southeast of Oakwood station. It is about a mile and a half long and a half mile wide. The people regard the pigeons as destroying angles or as an army of grasshoppers but the sportsmen are jubilant. The pigeons feed over a [n.l.] of twenty-five miles.

November 26, 1874. Millions of wild pigeons. Stroudsburg Jeffersonian 32(27): 3.

Millions of Wild Pigeons Pass Over Austin

Wild pigeons passed over the city to the southwest in countless millions Thursday morning. They commenced flying over in flocks miles long about 7 o'clock and continued till 10 o'clock or later. Some one on the street remarked that the flight of the pigeons indicated a coming storm. Let us see. A gentleman who lives about twenty miles south of Austin says that for some time pigeons have been very plentiful in his vicinity, and that people have great sport shooting them. At night they even go to their roosts and mow them down in great quantities.

January 31, 1878. Pigeons. Austin Weekly Democrat Statesman 7(17): 3.

Pigeons on the Buttermilk in Cattaraugus County

The Springfield Herald of the 17th says, there is now in this vicinity, "number and numberless pigeons. We understand that they are nesting in a heavy wood, on the Buttermilk, in Cattaraugus county, five or six miles south of this village. Early mornings, as soon as it is light — they commence flying in pursuit of food. They pass out north, and for aught we know, in every other direction — and it is astonishing to see what multitudes there are. The woods, fields and even the door yards about the village, are literally covered with them for two or three hours every morning. They remain out till towards night, when they pass back. The usually fly very low — so low that many have been killed by striking against the wires of the New York and Erie Telegraph. Dozens at a shot are frequently brought down by gunners. The place were they nest must by one of the great interest — on the same tree from fifty to a hundred nests are formed of dried twigs, in which the eggs are deposited. The female sites the greater part of the time till the young are hatched, being fed by the male.

June 10, 1851. Pigeons. Galveston Civilian and Gazette 13(n.a.): 1.

Visit to Pigeon Roost on Wolf Creek

The Palestine (Texas) Advocate describes a recent visit made by the editor to a pigeon's roost on Wolf creek, some twenty or thirty miles above Palestine. The company arrived at the roost before night, and when the pigeons were absent. They wee stuck with astonishment at the havoc the pigeons had made. "On all sides large trees were either broken or twisted down, and the trunks of towering oaks literally stripped of the branches." About sundown they heard a loud roaring to the North, and looking up they saw the front of a large column of birds approaching, and for several minutes it "continued to pour along in one unbroken stream." Directly, others came from every direction, "until the whole air appeared to be full of them." The company commenced operations after dark, shooting them by torch light, bringing down fifteen or twenty at a shot, until they had bagged as many as they desired, and then started for home.

January 16, 1857. News brevities. Daily Nashville Patriot 21(346): 2. From the Palestine Advocate.