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The Last Heath Hen

Book cover art
Book cover art

Heath hens are an extinct species of the prairie chicken that at one point were common across North America. While heath hens were hunted to extinction on the mainland, the birds were still roaming Martha’s Vineyard in the early 1930’s. Then in April of 1932 Vineyard Gazette reported the last remaining Heath Hen on the island was dead, signaling the extinction of the species.
On The Point, we talk with Christie Palmer Lowrance about her new children’s book chronicling the extinction of the Heath hen. It’s illustrated by Michael Berndt and is titled The Last heath Hen: An Extinction Story.

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Mindy Todd is the host and producer of <i>The Point</i> on WCAI which examines critical issues for Cape Cod and the Islands. She brings more than 40 years of experience in radio and television to WCAI.