The Lost Bird Project

Extinct Bird Bronze Lands on Galveston Island

Eskimo Curlew is Newest Sculpture in Project

 

A six-foot permanent sculpture of the elegant Eskimo Curlew, commissioned by Galveston Island Nature Tourism Council, is the sixth sculpture of  The Lost Bird Project by Todd McGrain, was installed in Galveston Island State Park in 2020.

Each Lost Bird Project memorial is permanently installed near the last sighting of the bird. The last fully documented North American sighting of the Eskimo Curlew was in west Galveston in 1962, according to the Texas Bird Records Committee of the Texas Ornithological Society.

View Installation Video
ESCU Install
Map to Eskimo Curlew Sculpture
Galveston Island State Park
Did You Know? Fun Facts
about the Birds of The Lost Bird Project
How YOU Can Help
Prevent More Bird Extinction
Meet Artist Todd McGrain
Eskimo Curlew Sightings
Media Coverage

The Labrador Duck Sculpture
while on display at The Bryan Museum

 

Other permanent sculptures of the Lost Bird Project are the Great Auk in Newfoundland, the Passenger Pigeon in Ohio, the Labrador Duck in New York, the Carolina Parakeet in Florida, and the Heath Hen in Martha’s Vineyard.

“Forgetting that these birds ever existed is another kind of extinction,” McGrain said. “It takes real work to preserve habitat, raise awareness and mitigate the factors that adversely affect bird populations.”

The Lost Bird Project has been exhibited at 14 museums across the country, including the Smithsonian. The thought-provoking memorial links art with natural history and highlights humans’ impact on biodiversity. It is the subject of a feature length documentary.

Thanks for helping us bring our Eskimo Curlew home!

Galveston Island Nature Tourism Council thanks each and every donor listed below
for their enthusiasm for this project and their commitment to conservation.

Lead Donors Joe & Lynne Hudson • Steve Abbey • Charlotte & Richard Alexander • Ann Anderson • Elizabeth Anderson • Marisol Arteaga • Cindy & John Bartos • Andrew Becker • Suzanne & Rick Becker • Christy Benson • Sara & Mark Bettencourt • Susan & Paul Bettencourt • Diane & Steve Biegel • Vicki Blythe, in memory of Doletta Blythe • Chris Boodley • Gayle Bowlin • Bromberg Charitable Trust Fund • Angela & Craig Brown • Anne Brown • Brad Brown • Julie Ann Brown & Denice Franke • Sue & Fred Bushell • Caroline Callery • Katherine Carlson • Kolandia & Jeff Casey, in memory of Rev. Floyd R. Whatley • Claire Caudill • Patricia Chen & Sanjay Mani • Kathy Adams & Gary Clark • Catherine Cosby • Karen Caperton Cowgill • Chris Crabb • Peggy & Don d’Hemecourt • Brenda Dawson • Donna Dees & Tim Tobin • Sharon Duray & Don Wilkerson • Sarah Flournoy • Galveston Bookshop • Galveston Daily News • Elizabeth Garney • Bailey Glover • Mary Hannigan • Sarah Harano • Jeffrey Heitkamp, in memory of Emily J. Heitkamp • Janet & Ben Hock • Donna Holt • Bernice Hotman • Houston Audubon • Ellen & Harry Hufft • Ellen & Harry Hufft, in memory of Rev. Floyd R. Whatley • Cynthia & Daniel Hughes • Ben & Mary Gwen Hulsey • Ippolito Charitable Foundation • Patricia Jakobi • Elizabeth & Drew Kanaly, in honor of Sara Bettencourt • Tom & Ann Kelsey • Harris & Eliza Kempner Fund • Sarah Lacquiere •  Susan Lewis • Sheridan Lorenz, in memory of Renee Adame • Jaclyn Low • Robert & Susan Lynch • John P. McGovern Foundation • Joanne & Patrick McMahon • Mary Mack • Michael Mahaffa • Stennie Sterling Meadours • Matthew Menger • Olivia & Walter Meyer • Marlynn Miller •  Winkie & Jerry Mohn • Moody Gardens • Lisa Morello • Debbie & Chuck Morris • Alice Anne O’Donell • Diane & Pete Olsen • Sally Pachulski • Richard Peake, in honor of Rigdon Currie • Bernard Pieper, in honor of Adele Pieper • Barbara & Jeff Rabek • Sue & Keith Reed • Sue & Keith Reed, in memory of Rev. Floyd R. Whatley • Anne & Lee Riley • Trish & Jim Ringelstetter • Robin Roberts • Charli & Jim Rohack • Fredell & Lewis Rosen • Norma & Sandy Rubin  • Nancy & Clive Runnells Foundation • Allison & Dan Ryder • Allison & Dan Ryder, in memory of Clinton F. Morse • Sand ‘N Sea Properties • Chana & Peter Santschi • Barbara & Dominick Sasser • Ruth Sathre • Joyce Schultz • Stephanie & Robert Shipp • Michelle & Vic Sierpina • Dean Silvers • Molly Slack • Lynn & Stan Smith • Robert Smither • Pam Smolen • Sam Steph • Martha Suiter, in honor of Coleta & Ken Suiter • Marilyn Swanson • Dale & Heber Taylor • Barbara Thompson • Tom’s Galveston Real Estate • Trull Foundation • Peggy Tsue • Patti Valiante • Brenda & Mort Voller, in memory of Brendan Voller • West Galveston Island Property Owners Association • Heather Westendarp • Bonnie White & Doug Little • Rene & Ben Wiley • Jim & Betsy Winn • Diane & Michael Wonio • Bekra Yorke