Why did bird populations in the Everglades suffer around the turn of the 20th century?
Why does this report mention gold?
How did a socialite help save Florida birds from extinction?
Discussion Questions: What other animals are hunted for the sake of fashion? Should this practice be illegal?
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Feathers Were More Valuable Than Gold
At the turn of the 20th century, hats with feathers were very fashionable for women. These hats reflected a woman’s social status. The more feathers you had on your hat the better. These hats were even popular for the middle class. In fact, feathered hats were so fashionable that plume hunters killed about 5 million birds per year in Florida’s Everglades. Feathers were more valuable per weight than gold. A socialite from Boston realized how destructive the fashion was to bird populations and decided to do something about it. She took note of all the women who had the most feathers in their hats and invited them to tea parties. As she won their trust, she encouraged them to remove their hats and join an exclusive organization for people interested in the protection of birds.
Bird populations in the Everglades suffered around the turn of the 20th century because birds were killed for feathers to decorate women’s hats.
This report mentions that feathers became more valuable by weight than gold.
A Boston socialite invited women with feathered hats to remove their hats and join an exclusive organization for the protection of birds.
