Booming Ben
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Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts, US
 Alfred Otto Gross holding Booming Ben | |
| Species | Tympanuchus cupido cupido |
|---|---|
| Sex | Male |
| Hatched | c. 1924 Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts, US |
| Died | Last spotted in March 11, 1932 (aged 7–8) |
| Known for | Last known Heath Hen |
Booming Ben (c. 1924 – March 11, 1932) was the last confirmed heath hen, a subspecies of the greater prairie chicken.[1] He was last spotted on Martha's Vineyard in the US state of Massachusetts on March 11, 1932.[2] His death marked the extinction of the heath hen.[3]
Heath hens experienced significant population decline due to hunting practices during the colonial period,[4][5] with all remaining birds on Martha's Vineyard by 1870, despite their prior range across the East Coast of the United States.[3] Ornithologists began tracking the population in 1908.[5]
With conservation efforts, the population grew from 100 to around 2,000 by 1916. However, a 1916 fire dropped the population down to 150,[6] with many of the surviving birds being male.[3][5] The following years included a particularly harsh winter, followed by spread of disease among the Heath hen population. Additionally, the small population led to inbreeding, resulting in genetic issues that left many birds infertile.[4]
In 1925, the Federation of the Bird Clubs of New England proffered $2,000 annually toward conservation efforts. However, by the beginning of 1927, only 11 males and 2 females remained. By the fall of 1928, only two males remained, with only Booming Ben surviving as of December of that year.[5]