The Deadly Feather Trade: How Two Women Saved America’s Birds
The Plume Trade: A Fashionable Cruelty
In the late 19th century, the fashion for feathered hats led to a devastating trade in bird feathers. Hunters killed and skinned mature birds, leaving orphaned hatchlings to starve or be eaten by crows. The main drivers of the plume trade were millinery centers in New York and London, which consumed feathers from hundreds of thousands of birds each year. Egrets, with their brilliant white plumage, were particularly targeted.
Harriet Hemenway and Minna Hall: Crusader
In 1896, two Boston socialites, Harriet Hemenway and her cousin Minna Hall, launched a revolt against the plume trade. Hemenway, a passionate amateur naturalist, was horrified by the slaughter of birds. She enlisted the help of Hall, and together they launched a series of tea parties at which they urged their friends to stop wearing feathered hats.
The Birth of the Audubon Society
Hemenway and Hall’s boycott was a success, and they soon organized the Massachusetts Audubon Society. Audubon societies formed in more than a dozen states, and their federation would eventually be called the National Audubon Society. The Audubon Society played a key role in lobbying for legislation to protect birds.
Landmark Laws: The Lacey Act and the Weeks-McLean Law
In 1900, Congress passed the Lacey Act, which prohibited the transport across state lines of birds taken in violation of state laws. However, the law was poorly enforced, and the plume trade continued to thrive.
In 1913, the Weeks-McLean Law, sponsored by Massachusetts Representative John Weeks and Connecticut Senator George McLean, effectively ended the plume trade. The law outlawed market hunting and forbade interstate transport of birds.
The Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918
After a series of inconclusive court challenges to the Weeks-McLean Law, the Supreme Court upheld the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918. This landmark legislation declared that the protection of birds was in the “national interest” and gave the federal government authority to regulate the hunting and transport of migratory birds.
The Legacy of Hemenway and Hall
The efforts of Harriet Hemenway and Minna Hall played a pivotal role in the protection of birds in the United States. Their boycott of the plume trade raised awareness of the devastating effects of the fashion industry on bird populations. The Audubon Society they founded continues to be a leading advocate for bird conservation today.
The Importance of Bird Conservation
Birds play a vital role in the ecosystem. They pollinate plants, disperse seeds, and control pests. The loss of bird populations can have a ripple effect on the entire food chain.
The conservation efforts of the early 20th century helped to protect many bird species from extinction. However, birds continue to face threats from habitat loss, pollution, and climate change. It is more important than ever to support bird conservation and ensure the survival of these magnificent creatures.
