The most intriguing of the birds in Florida for me were the snowy egrets with their wispy plumage. They were like entire balls of white cloud or dancing threads. These birds almost met their demise when women's vanity demanded hats with the exotic decor of real bird feathers and eventually whole birds were stuffed and placed on their heads like some weird homage to hunting. Hundreds of these awkward looking delicate creatures would be killed in a single day! That was when mankind felt that everything on this earth was his domain and it would all last forever. Lesson still being learned!
For more information on the demise of birds brought about so that women could wear stylish hats you can check this link or for a chronological history of this craziness go here. And if you have the stomach for how entire birds looked when killed and placed on womens' heads go here. Fur, feathers and skin...what a fix we were in!
I don't know why, but I particularly liked the last one. They are all (and not just this set)scrumptious, though
ReplyDeleteSuch beautiful birds! You have a knack with a camera, for sure.
ReplyDeleteMany small birds must have met their demise for my Memere's brilliant blue, feather-covered Sunday hat. It was the era of real fur, feather, hide and leather fashions - I was a little woods-dwelling animal rights activist at a very young age. I saved feathers from the chickens my father killed for our dinner and offered those to my horrified grandmother. I felt badly for the chickens but even at that age could see the difference between dinner and vanity.
Thank god times, and tastes, have changed (or are changing).
ReplyDeleteThe plumage looks much better on the birds, as your photos show.
Oh Yuk---Glad people no longer do that!!!! I love the Egrets also---and remember them well from my years in Florida.
ReplyDeleteGreat pictures, Tabor.
Hugs,
Betsy
Oh my! The errors of our ways. We are still blind to so many things we do that are selfish and gruesome.
ReplyDeletewow. dispicable...i am glad we have gotten a little bit smarter along the way...
ReplyDeleteBeautiful critters. The wearing of them reminds me of how I used to see raccoon tails, fox heads and mink head on women's fur stoles a long while back. I thought it was vile then and feel even more strongly about it now. We humans are a weird breed.
ReplyDeleteEgrets always take my breath away, they do. They have popped up in almost every place I have ever lived in the US.
ReplyDeleteThey are truly a magnificent bird. I'd love to see those Florida birds someday.
ReplyDeleteCan't even imagine people wanting to wear things like that. Abominable and gruesome!