Heath Hen

Information about this once abundant New England game bird is hard to come by. In particular, the differences that separates the Heath Hen (Tympanuchus cupido cupido) from the (often confused with) Greater Prairie Chicken (Tympanuchus cupido pinnatus). Many pictures have been compiled to provide great comparatives showing this bird compared to a Greater Prairie Chicken, as well as distinguishing marks that the Heath Hen is known to have.

The bird was acquired from an antiques dealer in England in March of 2008. He is still in the original Victorian case and habitat that are well over a century old! Still in great condition, only a small portion of his primaries and flanks show any signs of fading.

 To give a relative abundance on the number of specimens left for North America's Extinct Game birds, the Passenger pigeon has around 1530 specimens left, the Heath Hen with around 200, and the Labrador duck at 54.