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05 April 2014

Considering Wildbirds Sold in Historic Game Markets

A unique aspect of historic ornithology is the pervasive extent of accounts about wildbirds — game — available for purchase in city markets. When different species were numerous and could be readily harvested, they soon became a commodity for purchase. Larger metropolis' such as New York City and Chicago were especially prominent for the extent of this sort of market activity.

A preliminary evaluation of thousands of market records has recently been completed which conveys some interesting details. It was a process of searching or browsing through available periodicals to find articles that listed market commodities and the most recent cost. Most of the 18,045 records considered are from a variety of newspapers. Not every entry was extracted, since in many instances the list of birds being sold and the prices were similar week to week, so details were extracted only for alternate weeks. There was a greater interest in keeping noting weekly details as this multi-year effort to extract information was done.

Recording the price information was done in a standard manner. The text of the published entry was entered into one database field, other db fields included the minimum price, date of record, a thorough citation, number of birds sold (only a limited extent of this information is given, as available), the decade and city of occurrence. A particular species or common name was then designated. Meta-data includes a conversion of the date to a Julian date to allow yearly comparisons.

Additional articles about local game markets are are included in the historic ornithology bibliography. They have many interesting anecdotes and bits of history. When available, advertisements or other graphic images were electronically captured for illustrative purposes.

This is a summary for the records thus far obtained. The first records are from 1520 from Tenochtitlan, Mexico and the last are from 1889 at Omaha, Nebr. and St. Paul, Minn.; the majority are from 1885 (an arbitrary end to the period evaluated) and prior years.

These are the 45 towns, cities and other locales for which records are available:

» New York City: 7705 records for 52 species, starting in 1759 with continuous records from 1853 to 1885
» Chicago, Ill.: 5592 records for 21 species, with a continuous record from 1857 to 1885
» Washington, D.C.: 1831 records for 30 species from 1856 to 1885
» St. Louis, Mo.: 601 records, 17 species from 1858 to 1884
» Omaha, Nebr.: 562; eight spp. between 1875 and 1889
» Milwaukee, Wisc.: 512; 13 spp. between 1866 and 1880
» San Francisco, Cal.: 217; 30 spp. from 1851 to 1880 with latter records still to be considered
» Memphis, Tenn.: 199; ten spp. from 1867 to 1885
» Boston, Mass.: 211; 12 spp. from 1818 to 1870, though primarily after 1863; also 1883 with other records still be considered
» Cairo, Ill.: 123; seven spp. from 1868 to 1884
» St. Paul, Minn.: 123; ten spp. from 1884 to 1889
» New Orleans, La.: 63; 36 spp. from 1810 and 1821
» Louisville, Ky.: 59; 11 spp. from 1863 and 1866
» Kansas City, Mo.: 52; three spp. from 1876, 1884 and 1885
» Troy, N.Y.: 26; nine spp. from 1854, 1855 and 1866
» Kirksville, Mo.: 20; five spp. from 1881-1883
» Norfolk, Virg.: 18; three spp. from 1865 and 1866
» Brownville, Nebr.: 14 records for two species in 1875
» Tenochtitlan, Mexico: 14; only four recognizable species denoted, with the other records for generic sorts of birds that could not be further defined
» Richmond, Virg.: 13; four spp. from 1853 and 1865
» Leavenworth, Kan.: 12; two species from 1877 and 1878
» Albany, N.Y.: 8; six spp. from 1845 and 1874
» Hennepin, Ill.: 8; five spp. from 1845
» Philadelphia, Pa.: 8; 7 spp. from 1861
» Columbus, Ohio: 6; five spp. from 1861 and 1868
» Platte City, Neb.: 5; four spp. from 1866
» Sandusky, Ohio: 5; three spp. from 1854
» Virginia, Nev.: 5; two spp. from 1863
» Oswego, N.Y.: 4; two spp. from 1881
» Wichita, Kan.: 4; two spp. from 1872
» Bismarck, N.D.: 3; represents only the Greater Prairie Chicken from 1884
» Bloomsburg, Pa.: 3; record for the Passenger Pigeon in 1868
» Jefferson City, Mo.: 3; two spp. from 1871
» Alexandria, Virg.: 2; Bobolink records from 1870 and 1879
» Atchison, Kan.: 2; the Northern Bobwhite and Greater Prairie Chicken in 1867
» Ogdensburgh, N.Y.: 2; Ruffed Grouse and Mallard in 1876
» Springfield, Ill.: 2; Northern Bobwhite and Greater Prairie Chicken in 1860
» Buffalo, N.Y.: 1; the Passenger Pigeon in 1840
» Charleston, S.C.: 1; a Brown-headed Cowbird in 1809
» Dayton, Ohio: 1; Passenger Pigeon in 1852
» Essex County, N.Y.: 1; Passenger Pigeon in 1859
» Little Rock, Ark.: 1; Passenger Pigeon in 1867
» Minneapolis, Minn.: 1; Greater Prairie Chicken in 1881
» Orange County, N.Y.: 1; Passenger Pigeon in 1872
» Stroudsburg, Pa.: 1; Passenger Pigeon in 1859

This list indicates the species (81) and types of birds represented among the records. There are undoubtedly more records associated with domestic chickens or tame pigeons, but the focus was upon wildbirds.


  • Greater Prairie Chicken - 2033 records
  • Mallard - 1926
  • Northern Bobwhite - 1556
  • Passenger Pigeon (including wild squabs) - 1333

    Wild pigeons (a.k.a. Passenger Pigeon) are known to have been sold at the local market in these places: Albany, N.Y.; Bloomsburg, Pa.; Boston, Mass.; Cairo, Ill.; Chicago, Ill.; Columbus, Ohio; Essex County, N.Y.; Little Rock, Ark.; Louisville, Ky.; Memphis, Tenn.; Milwaukee, Wisc.; New York City; Orange County, N.Y.; Philadelphia, Pa.; San Francisco, Cal.; St. Louis, Mo.;
    Stroudsburg, Pa.; Troy, N.Y.; Washington, D.C.

  • Duck - 1139
  • Teal - 1050
  • Ruffed Grouse - 1000
  • Canvasback - 811
  • Redhead - 736
  • Wilson's Snipe - 687
  • American Woodcock - 671
  • Rock Dove - 526
  • Plover - 493
  • Wild Turkey - 410
  • Snipe - 375
  • Wood Duck - 299
  • Sandpiper - 269
  • American Black Duck - 236
  • Canada Goose - 232
  • American Wigeon - 229
  • Bobolink - 150
  • Scaup - 143
  • Dowitcher - 111
  • Snow Goose - 103
  • Yellowlegs - 102
  • American Robin - 94
  • Brant Goose - 92
  • Goose - 78
  • Red-winged Blackbird - 73
  • Sharp-tailed Grouse - 73
  • Sora - 70
  • Grouse - 69
  • Gadwall - 65
  • Northern Shoveler - 47
  • Curlew - 45
  • Greater Yellowlegs - 43
  • American Golden Plover - 38
  • Lesser Yellowlegs - 38
  • American Coot - 36
  • Red Knot - 35
  • Northern Pintail - 34
  • Semipalmated Sandpiper - 33
  • Ruddy Duck - 32
  • Blackbird - 28
  • Blue-winged Teal - 27
  • Upland Sandpiper - 27
  • Lesser Scaup - 26
  • Unidentified birds - 26
  • Quail - 19
  • Bufflehead - 17
  • Godwit - 17
  • Lark - 16
  • Pigeon - 16
  • Dove - 15
  • Grey Plover/Dunlin - 14

  • Green-winged Teal - 13
  • Shorebird - 12
  • Charadrius plover - 11
  • Tundra Swan - 11
  • Cedar Waxwing - 10
  • Common Pheasant - 10
  • Grey Plover - 10
  • Clapper Rail - 5
  • Meadowlark - 5
  • Ruddy Turnstone - 5
  • Great Egret - 4
  • Pectoral Sandpiper - 4
  • Sandhill Crane - 4
  • Willet - 4
  • Great Blue Heron - 3
  • King Rail - 3
  • Merganser - 3
  • Mourning Dove - 3
  • Stilt Sandpiper - 3
  • Virginia Rail - 3
  • Willow Ptarmigan - 3
  • Cormorant - 2
  • Killdeer - 2
  • Northern Barred Owl - 2
  • Northern Flicker - 2
  • Northern Mockingbird - 2
  • Tree Swallow - 2
  • Unidentified species - 2
  • Whooping Crane - 2

    A white crane in the market on 17 Mar 1821 at New Orleans; white crane sold for $4 on 21 Oct 1872 at Milwaukee

  • American Avocet - 1

    Blue plover at $1.00 per dozen in the San Francisco market in December 1860.

  • American Kestrel - 1
  • American White Ibis - 1
  • Black-crowned Night Heron - 1
  • Blue Jay - 1
  • Brown-headed Cowbird - 1
  • California Quail - 1
  • Cinnamon Teal - 1
  • Crow - 1
  • Dark-eyed Junco - 1
  • Domestic Chicken - 1
  • Eagle - 1
  • Eastern Bluebird - 1
  • Eastern Meadowlark - 1
  • Emperor Goose - 1
  • Flycatcher - 1
  • Gambel's Quail - 1
  • Goldeneye - 1
  • Greater White-fronted Goose - 1
  • Guillemot - 1
  • Long-tailed Duck - 1
  • Loon - 1
  • Mountain Quail - 1
  • Northern Cardinal - 1
  • Owl - 1
  • Parrot - 1
  • Passeriformes species - 1
  • Pied-billed Grebe - 1
  • Purple Gallinule - 1
  • Sage Grouse - 1
  • Shearwater - 1
  • Solitary Sandpiper - 1
  • Steller's Jay - 1
  • Swan - 1
  • Vulture - 1
  • Warbler - 1
  • Woodpecker - 1

Summary details provide an overall perspective, while there are specifics which indicate so many more details. The following particulars are derived from published records for the Bobolink ˜ a.k.a. reed bird or rice bird — in the vicinity of Washington, D.C. during the autumn season, as indicated by the market price. The value given is the cost per dozen, which is a tepid indication of the overall extent of local activity associated with the taking of these birds, and others in the marshes of the lower Potomac River and tributaries.

Julian Date 1859 1860 1862 1863 1865 1868 1869 1872 1873 1874 1877 1878 1879 1880 1881 1882 1883 1884 1885
235 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 0.75 - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
242 - - - - - - - - - - 0.40 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

243		 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 0.60 - - - -
245 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 0.00 - - - - - -
246 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 0.75 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
247 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 0.40 - - - - - - - - - -
248 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 0.60 - -
249 - - - - - - - - - - 0.75 - - - - - - - - - - 0.50 - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
251 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 0.60 - - - - - - - -
252 - - - - - - - - 1.00 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 0.60
253 0.50 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
255 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 0.50 - - - - - - - - - - - -
256 - - - - - - - - - - 0.75 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 0.60 - -
258 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 0.75 - - - - - -
259 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 1.00 - - - - - -
260 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 0.75 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
261 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 0.40 - - - - - - - - - -
262 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
0.75		 0.60
263 0.00 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 0.75 - - 0.75 0.75 - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
264 - - - - - - - - - - - - 0.37 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
265 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 1.00 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
266 - - - - - - - - 1.50 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
269 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 0.60 - - - - - - - - - - - -
270 - - - - 0.75 - - - - 0.75 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 0.75 - -
272 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 0.75 - - - - - -
273 - - - - - - - - 2.00 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 0.60 - - - - - - - -
274 0.50 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 0.75 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
276 - - - - - - 1.25 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 0.60 - - - - - - - - - - - -
277 - - - - - - - - - - 0.50 - - - - 0.75 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
279 - - 0.62 - - - - - - - - - - 2.00 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
282 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 0.75 - - - - - - - - - -
284 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 0.60 - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
288 0.50 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
290 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 0.60 - - - - - - - - 0.75 - -
293 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 1.00 - - - - - -
294 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 0.60 - - - - - - - -
296 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 0.75 - - - - - - - - - -
304 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 1.00 - -
308 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 0.60 - - - - - - - -

310		 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 0.75 - - - - - - - - - -
312 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 0.75 - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
318 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 1.00 - -
326 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 0.75 - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Additional details from other source material can undoubtedly be considered, so this is a March 2014 summary. This is a work in progress, with pending additions and potential revisions.

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