The Feather Thief

The mission of the Audubon Society is to protect birds. Even before its official establishment, this mission was central to the organization. Bostonian Brahmins Harriet Hemenway and Minna Hall founded the first chapter of the Audubon Society in Massachusetts. These women were trying to end the use of millions of birds for women’s fashion. Within just a few years of the founding of this first chapter, chapters were founded in other states and the organization had thousands of members. The organization still exists today. 

The family Paradisaeidae, which is more commonly known as the Birds of Paradise, have more than three dozen species. These birds are primarily found in New Guinea and Australia. They are best known for their bright plumage of green, blue, scarlet, and yellow, making them some of the most beautiful birds on the planet. Males have especially ornate plumage, which they use to attract females during mating season. The mating rituals can last for hours and include elaborate dances that accentuate their plumes to females.

The extravagant plumage adversely impacted the survival of the Birds of Paradise. These birds evolved in places that lacked natural predators. As Johnson notes, “There were no civets or cats hunting them on the remote islands.