The Sad Story of Passenger Pigeon The sad story of Passenger Pigeon reminds us no matter how superabundant a species is, excessive hunting, habitat destruction, technological development and lack of enforcement of wildlife laws can wipe it out within half a century. Martha, the last passenger pigeon, leading a flock of passenger pigeons, painted by John Ruthven. This painting has been reproduced by artworks in mural form to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Martha's death in 2014. Courtesy of the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden. By Mithu Das