Passenger Pigeon - Adapted from Pudgy Pigeon Pattern

Below are the steps for adapting the Pudgy Pigeon Pattern from a rock dove to a passenger pigeon.

Follow the details on that pattern for supplies, techniques, and assembly. Almost everything about this pattern is the same, except for the slightly longer tail feathers and the pigeon's colors.

Regarding that:

Unfortunately, passenger pigeon photographs are either in black and white (often of Martha, the last of her species, who died in 1914--on September 1st, the day this pattern was finished) or of taxidermied and preserved specimens that tend to show their age. Many scientific illustrations show passenger pigeons in their former splendor, but their plumage can be somewhat inconsistent.

Watercolor by Louis Agassiz Fuertes

Either way, please interpret and adapt the pattern however you choose. If it inspires you to learn about and love the passenger pigeon, even a little, that's all that matters.

And if you'd like to read the novel that inspired this pattern, you can pick up a paperback or ebook copy of A Moonserpent Tale. I sincerely thank you if you do.

 

Knitting the Passenger Pigeon

You will need black yarn for the beak, grey or pale blue yarn, copper yarn, white yarn, and navy blue yarn for the body and wings. Orange or pink yarn is used for the feet.

While the techniques are the same, you will also need to use stranded or intarsia knitting methods to switch between colors with the same round. 

Beak and Body

CO 2 sts in black and work as an I-cord:

1. K all
2. Kfb twice (4 sts)
3. K all

Attach grey or pale blue yarn (G) and without turning:

4. K1, [Kfb] twice, K1 (6sts)

Move these 6 sts onto three DPNs to start knitting in the round. These rounds will begin the head.

Rnd 1. Kfb in each st (12 sts)
Rnd 2. K3, [Kfb] twice, K2, [Kfb] twice, K3 (16 sts)
Rnd 3. K4, [Kfb] twice, K4, [Kfb] twice, K4 (20 sts)
Rnd 4. K5, [Kfb] twice, K6, [Kfb] twice, K5 (24 sts)

Attach copper (Cp) yarn.

Use stranded color or intarsia knitting methods to switch between Cp and G for the following rounds. This will maintain the grey/pale blue at the back of the pigeon’s neck and introduce the copper of the neck and breast.

Rnd. 5. In Cp: Kfb, In G: K15, W&T, P8, W&T, K9, W&T, P10, W&T, K16, In CP: Kfb (26 sts)
Rnd. 6. In Cp: Kfb, K1, In G: K22,  In Cp: K1, Kfb (28 sts)
Rnd. 7. In Cp: Kfb, K2, In G: K6, Ssk, K6, K2tog, K6, In Cp: K2, Kfb
Rnd. 8. In Cp: Kfb, K3, In G: K6, Ssk, K4, K2tog, K6, In Cp: K3 Kfb
Rnd. 9. In Cp: Kfb, K4, In G: K13, W&T, P8, W&T, K9, W&T, P10, W&T K14, In Cp: K4, Kfb (30 sts)
Rnd. 10. In Cp: Kfb, K5, In G: K5, Ssk, K4, K2tog, K5, In Cp: K5, Kfb
Rnd. 11. In Cp: K8, In G: K12, W&T, P10, W&T, K12, In Cp: K8
Rnd. 12. In Cp: Kfb, K8, In G: K2, Kfb, K6, Kfb, K2, In Cp: K8, Kfb (34 sts)
Rnd. 13. In Cp: K12, In G: Kfb, K8, Kfb, In Cp: K12 (36 sts)
Rnd. 14. In Cp: K10, [Kfb] 3 times, In G: K10, In Cp: [Kfb] 3 times, K10 (42 sts)
Rnd. 15. In Cp: K13, [Kfb] 3 times, In G: K10, In Cp: [Kfb] 3 times, K13 (48 sts)
Rnd. 16. In Cp: K16, [Kfb] 3 times, In G: K10, In Cp: [Kfb] 3 times, K16 (54 sts)
Rnds. 17 - 19. In Cp: K22, In G: K10, In Cp: K22

The next rnds will begin to decrease the body. You may want to affix safety eyes if you’re using them, but they can be placed later as the body will stay open until assembly.

Switch to white yarn.
Grey and copper yarns can be cut.

Rnd. 20 - 22. K all sts.
Rnd. 23. K14, [Ssk] 3 times, K14, [K2tog] 3 times, K14 (48 sts)
Rnd. 24. K12, [Ssk] 3 times, K12, [K2tog] 3 times, K12 (42 sts)
Rnd. 25. K10, [Ssk] 3 times, K10, [K2tog] 3 times, K10 (36 sts)
Rnd. 26. K8, [Ssk] 3 times, K8, [K2tog] 3 times, K8 (30 sts)
Rnd. 27. K6, [Ssk] 3 times, K6, [K2tog] 3 times, K6 (24 sts)
Rnd. 28. K6, turn without wrapping the next st, P12, turn without wrapping the next st, K6.

Put the 12 most recently worked sts on one DPN and the other 12 sts on a spare needle/holder.

The sts on the DPN will be used to create the lower portion of the tail feathers.

 

Tail Feathers

The tail is knit straight in two portions: top and bottom. Starting with the bottom half, along the belly, work the following rows in white:

Row 1. K all sts.
Row 2. P all sts.
Row 3. K all sts.
Row 4. P all sts.
Row 5. K1, Ssk, K6, K2tog, K1 (10 sts)
Row 6. P all sts.
Row 7. K all sts.
Row 8. P all sts.
Row 9. K1, Ssk, K4, K2tog, K1 (8 sts)
Row 10. P all sts.
Row 11. K all sts.
Row 12. P all sts.
Row 13. K1, Ssk, K2, K2tog, K1 (6 sts)
Row 14. P all sts.
Row 15. K all sts.
Row 16. P all sts.
Row 17. K1, Ssk, K2tog, K1 (4 sts)
Row 18. P all.
Row 19. K all
Row 20. P all

BO

Place the sts from the holder on a DPN and attach black or navy yarn to the back from the P side.

Work 1 P row.

Then work the above 14 rows to create the top portion of the tail.

 

Wings

The wings start by knitting two upper portions that are joined together.

Wings - Upper Portions

CO 3 sts in grey/pale blue, knit the following rows:

Row 1. Kfb, K1, Kfb (5 sts)
Row 2. P all sts.
Row 3. K1, Kfb, K1, Kfb, K1 (7 sts)
Row 4. P all sts.
Row 5. K1, Kfb, K3, Kfb, K1 (9 sts)
Row 6. P all sts.
Row 7. K1, Kfb, K5, Kfb, K1 (11 sts)
Row 8. P all sts.
Row 9. K1, Kfb, K7, Kfb, K1 (13 sts)
Row 10. P all sts.
Row 11. K1, Kfb, K9, Kfb, K1 (15 sts)
Row 12. P all sts
Row 13. K13, W&T, P11, W&T K10, W&T P9, W&T, K12
Row 14 P all sts

Place on holder or spare needle.
On a separate DPN,  work the 14 rows above, also in grey/pale blue, so there are two upper wing portions.

Joining the Wings

With black/navy yarn:

Row 1. K across 15 sts of one wing. At the end, CO 4 sts. Using the same yarn, K across 15 sts of next wing.

A total of 34 sts should now be on one needle.

Row 2. P1, Ssp, P28, P2tog, P1 (32 sts)

Switch to grey/pale blue yarn

Row 3. K1, Ssk, K11, K2tog, Ssk, K11, K2tog, K1 (28 sts)
Row 4. P1, Ssp, P22, P2tog, P1 (26 sts)

Switch to black/navy yarn
Row 5. K1, Ssk, K8, K2tog, Ssk, K8, K2tog, K1 (22 sts)
Row 6. P1, Ssp, P16, P2tog, P1 (20 sts)

Switch to grey/pale blue yarn

Row 7. K1, Ssk, K5, K2tog, Ssk, K5, K2tog, K1 (16 sts)
Row 8. P all sts

Switch to black/navy yarn.

Grey/pale blue yarn can be cut.

Row 9. K1, Ssk, K10, K2tog, K1 (14 sts)
Row 10. P all sts
Row 11. K5, K2tog, Ssk, K5 (12 sts)
Row 12. P all
Row 13. K all
Row 14. P all
Row 15. K4, K2tog, Ssk, K4 (10 sts)
Row 16. P all
17. K3, K2tog, Ssk, K3 (8 sts)
18. P all

Slip 4 sts on a second needle and fold in half.

Graph these 8 sts together to complete the end fold of the wings.

Feet

Make two

CO 2 sts in pink or orange yarn.

Knit as I-cord:

1-3: K
4. [Kfb] twice (4 sts)

Using knit cast-on method, CO 2 sts from the first st.

BO 3 sts and put the remaining st from the right needle back on the left needle.

Repeat this process twice more, creating a total of three toes. Pull yarn through last sts to end.

Thread the ending tail back through the I-cord to tidy up the foot. This yarn tail will also be useful in the assembly process.

 

For the assembly, follow the process detailed in the Pudgy Pigeon Pattern.