A bird I do not know
2017-18
The Eskimo Curlew is a ghost species of bird, with no extant sound recordings and only a handful of blurry photographs. It was once so numerous that the sky darkened for a half hour as a flock flew overhead. It migrated farther than any other bird, from the boreal forests of Canada to the tip of South America. The last confirmed sightings were a half century ago, though it continues to be sighted unofficially from time to time. What does it mean to have lost an entire species? Does it matter? Can we feel the loss of something we have never seen? Through texts, sound, images, and sculptures, A bird I do not know takes up the search for the lost Eskimo Curlew.
Listen to audio
No recordings extant . descriptions of the calls of the Eskimo Curlew from sighting 1866-1962
prolonged mellow whistle . Robert MacFarlane, June 1866 . Franklin Bay, Northwest Territories, Canada
oft repeated soft whistling note . John James Audubon, 1833 . Bras d’or Harbor, Labrador, Canada
winds whistling through the ropes of a thousand-ton vessel . Dr. Packard, 1864 . Gulf of St. Lawrence, Canada
the jingling of multitudes of sleigh bells . Dr. Packard, 1864 . Davis Inlet, Canada
soft, mellow, though clear whistle, which may be easily imitated . Elliott Coues, 1856 . Missouri
a continuous, low piping noise as if conversing with each other . Elliott Coues, 1874 . South Dakota
a chirruping whistle . Myron H. Swenk, 1916 . Nebraska
a rather harsh scream . Elliott Coues, 1861 . South Dakota
tee doe dee . Don Bleitz, 1962 . Galveston, Texas
low tremulous whistle . Deaver & Feltner, 1959 . Galveston,Texas
a kind of squeak . George H. MacKay, 1892 . New England
pi-pi pi-uk . inuit name based on the sound of the call
rippling tr-tr-tr . S. Cramp & K.E.L. Simmons . Handbook of the Birds of Europe, the Middle East and Africa, 1982
soft whistle bee bee . George H. MacKay, 1892 . New England
melodius whistling tee tee tee . New York State Department of Conservation fact sheet
tee dee tee dee . Don Bleitz, 1962 . Galveston, Texas
Works:
In millions that darkened the sky, 2018
Sound piece: Speakers and media player
Bird blind for the Great Plains grasslands, 2018
Fabric, umbrella, table, recording equipment
86” x 42” x 42”
No recordings extant, 2018
15 12” x 19” monoprints
Eskimo Curlew Recording Studio, 2019
Become an extinct being. In a series of gatherings, participants are invited to voice the call of the Eskimo Curlew based on written descriptions. Stepping into a canvas bird blind, they are faced with a microphone and a series of text prompts based on historical descriptions of the calls of Eskimo Curlews.
Beak, 2018
graphite coated carved foam
24” x 5” x 3”
Archived, 2018
video
No recordings extant, 2018
laser cut plexi
10’ x 8’
Thanks to Asia Littell for studio assistance extraordinaire.
Thanks to the voices being an Eskimo Curlew: Gamalia Pharms, Danielle Bonazzoli, Ian Gage, Juan Ormaza, Elspeth McSurely, Joanna Tam, Cara Tarmey, Leanne Moore, Zayde Buti, and Brenna Kennedy