Bird City (wildfowl refuge)
Encyclopedia
Bird City is a private wildfowl refuge
or bird sanctuary
located on Avery Island in coastal Iberia Parish, Louisiana
.
It was founded by Tabasco sauce
heir and conservationist
Edward Avery McIlhenny
, whose family owned Avery Island. McIlhenny established the refuge around 1895 on his own personal tract of the 2200 acres (8.9 km²) island, a 250 acres (1 km²) estate
known eventually as Jungle Gardens
because of its lush tropical flora
.
By the late nineteenth century, plume
hunters had nearly wiped out the snowy egret
population of the United States
in pursuit of the bird
's delicate feathers, which were commonly used by milliners for the adornment of ladies' hat
s.
Alarmed by this trend, McIlhenny searched the Gulf Coast and located several surviving egrets, which he took back to his estate on Avery Island. There he turned the birds loose in a type of aviary
he called a "flying cage," where the birds soon adapted to their new surroundings. In the fall McIlhenny set the birds loose to migrate
south for the winter.
As he hoped, the birds returned to Avery Island in the spring, bringing with them even more snowy egrets. This pattern continued until, by 1911, the refuge served as the summer nesting
ground for an estimated 100,000 egrets.
Because of its early founding and example to others, Theodore Roosevelt
, father of American conservationism, once referred to Bird City as "the most noteworthy reserve in the country."
Today, snowy egrets continue to return to Bird City each spring to nest until resuming their migration in the fall.
Wildlife refuge
A wildlife refuge, also called a wildlife sanctuary, may be a naturally occurring sanctuary, such as an island, that provides protection for species from hunting, predation or competition, or it may refer to a protected area, a geographic territory within which wildlife is protected...
or bird sanctuary
Animal sanctuary
An animal sanctuary is a facility where animals are brought to live and be protected for the rest of their lives. Unlike animal shelters, sanctuaries do not seek to place animals with individuals or groups, instead maintaining each animal until his or her natural death...
located on Avery Island in coastal Iberia Parish, Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
.
It was founded by Tabasco sauce
Tabasco sauce
Tabasco sauce is the brand name for a hot sauce produced by US-based McIlhenny Company of Avery Island, Louisiana. Tabasco sauce is made from tabasco peppers , vinegar, and salt, and aged in white oak barrels for three years. It has a hot, spicy flavor...
heir and conservationist
Conservationist
Conservationists are proponents or advocates of conservation. They advocate for the protection of all the species in an ecosystem with a strong focus on the natural environment...
Edward Avery McIlhenny
Edward Avery McIlhenny
Edward Avery "Ned" McIlhenny , son of Tabasco brand pepper sauce inventor Edmund McIlhenny, was a Louisiana businessman, explorer, and conservationist....
, whose family owned Avery Island. McIlhenny established the refuge around 1895 on his own personal tract of the 2200 acres (8.9 km²) island, a 250 acres (1 km²) estate
Estate (house)
An estate comprises the houses and outbuildings and supporting farmland and woods that surround the gardens and grounds of a very large property, such as a country house or mansion. It is the modern term for a manor, but lacks the latter's now abolished jurisdictional authority...
known eventually as Jungle Gardens
Jungle Gardens
Jungle Gardens is a botanical garden and bird sanctuary located on Avery Island, Louisiana . The gardens are open daily except for major holidays; an admission fee is charged....
because of its lush tropical flora
Flora
Flora is the plant life occurring in a particular region or time, generally the naturally occurring or indigenous—native plant life. The corresponding term for animals is fauna.-Etymology:...
.
By the late nineteenth century, plume
Plume
Plume may refer to:In science:* Plume , the form of effluent in water or emissions in air* Eruption column, or volcanic plume, a column of hot volcanic ash and gas emitted into the atmosphere during an explosive volcanic eruption...
hunters had nearly wiped out the snowy egret
Snowy Egret
The Snowy Egret is a small white heron. It is the American counterpart to the very similar Old World Little Egret, which has established a foothold in the Bahamas....
population of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in pursuit of the bird
Bird
Birds are feathered, winged, bipedal, endothermic , egg-laying, vertebrate animals. Around 10,000 living species and 188 families makes them the most speciose class of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from...
's delicate feathers, which were commonly used by milliners for the adornment of ladies' hat
Hat
A hat is a head covering. It can be worn for protection against the elements, for ceremonial or religious reasons, for safety, or as a fashion accessory. In the past, hats were an indicator of social status...
s.
Alarmed by this trend, McIlhenny searched the Gulf Coast and located several surviving egrets, which he took back to his estate on Avery Island. There he turned the birds loose in a type of aviary
Aviary
An aviary is a large enclosure for confining birds. Unlike cages, aviaries allow birds a larger living space where they can fly; hence, aviaries are also sometimes known as flight cages...
he called a "flying cage," where the birds soon adapted to their new surroundings. In the fall McIlhenny set the birds loose to migrate
Bird migration
Bird migration is the regular seasonal journey undertaken by many species of birds. Bird movements include those made in response to changes in food availability, habitat or weather. Sometimes, journeys are not termed "true migration" because they are irregular or in only one direction...
south for the winter.
As he hoped, the birds returned to Avery Island in the spring, bringing with them even more snowy egrets. This pattern continued until, by 1911, the refuge served as the summer nesting
Nesting
Nesting refers to the process of efficiently manufacturing parts from flat raw material.Companies manufacturing parts from flat raw material such as sheet metal use a variety of technologies to perform this task. The sheet metal nesting for flat sheets and nesting for coils are different algorithms...
ground for an estimated 100,000 egrets.
Because of its early founding and example to others, Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt was the 26th President of the United States . He is noted for his exuberant personality, range of interests and achievements, and his leadership of the Progressive Movement, as well as his "cowboy" persona and robust masculinity...
, father of American conservationism, once referred to Bird City as "the most noteworthy reserve in the country."
Today, snowy egrets continue to return to Bird City each spring to nest until resuming their migration in the fall.