The Band-tailed pigeon (Patagioenas fasciata) is a medium-sized bird of the Americas. It is the largest pigeon in North America. Its closest relatives are the Chilean pigeon and the Ring-tailed pigeon.
The plumage of the Band-tailed pigeon is gray, somewhat darker above. The head and underparts have a faint pink cast, especially in the adult male; the belly is nearly white. The distal half of the tail is also pale (except in the subspecies of Baja California), hence the English name. The bill and feet are yellow, with good identification marks at sufficiently close range. Adults have green iridescence on the back of the neck, adjacent to a thin white collar on the nape. Juvenile birds have white feather edges above, giving a scaly appearance.
Band-tailed pigeons occur from British Columbia, Washington, Oregon, California, and southern Arizona south in higher elevations through Mexico and Central America to northern Argentina. In autumn they migrate out of their permanent resident range into northern California, New Mexico, and parts of Utah and Colorado. They are found in mountainous areas, generally in oak, pine-oak, and coniferous forests, and cultivated areas where they feed on crops.
Band-tailed pigeons are diurnal birds. Outside the breeding season, they form flocks, sometimes over 50 birds, and often become nomadic, following the acorn crop or moving to lower altitudes or other areas outside their breeding range. They also frequently congregate at and drink from mineral springs, although it is not fully understood why. Band-tailed pigeons are relatively quiet for a pigeon. Their voice is low-pitched and owl-like, often in two-syllable calls that rise and then fall (huu-ooh) with even spacing between calls. They also make a variety of harsh squawking sounds for various reasons.
Band-tailed pigeons are herbivores (granivores, frugivores). They eat seeds, notably acorns, as well as berries and small fruits. In addition to acorns and other seeds, Band-tailed pigeons will seasonally consume fruits such as Pacific madrona and Toyon berries. They also often visit bird feeders.
Band-tailed pigeons are monogamous which means that they form pairs. They build a rudimentary platform nest on tree limbs out of twigs, in which the female lays 1 or 2 eggs. Incubation lasts between 16 and 22 days. The chick, called squab is helpless when it hatches and usually remains in the nest for about 15-29 days.
This species is not considered threatened, however, its populations are declining due to continuous hunting and the loss of its natural habitat due to deforestation.
According to the All About Birds resource, the total breeding population size of the Band-tailed pigeon is 2 million individuals. Currently, this species is classified as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List but its numbers today are decreasing.
