Measurements
Both Sexes
- Length
- 13–15.7 in
33–40 cm - Weight
- 12.1–12.8 oz
342–364 g
Other Names
- Pigeon à queue barrée (French)
- Paloma de collar, Paloma collareja, Paloma torcaza, Paloma encinera (Spanish)
Cool Facts
- Though the species has two distinct breeding populations in the United States, individuals do move from one region to the other. One Band-tailed Pigeon banded in Oregon was shot a year later in Florida, well outside the normal range.
- An Oregon study found that the average distance a Band-tailed Pigeon traveled from its nest to a feeding site was 5 km (3.1 mi).
Habitat
Forest
- Breeds in wet coniferous forests along the Pacific Coast and in mixed evergreen forests.
- Also in dry montane coniferous forests of the interior, and urban and suburban areas.
Food
Seeds
Seeds, fruit, acorns, pine nuts, and flowers.
Nesting
Nesting Facts
- Clutch Size
- 1–2 eggs
- Egg Description
- White, highly glossy.
- Condition at Hatching
- Helpless, with long orange-yellow down.
Nest Description
A flat saucer of loosely intertwined twigs, placed on a sturdy tree limb.
Nest Placement
Tree
Behavior
Foliage Gleaner
Feeds on ground and in trees in small flocks. Travels long distances to gather food.
Conservation
Least Concern
Populations declining in most areas.
Credits
- Keppie, D. M., and C. E. Braun. 2000. Band-tailed Pigeon (Columba fasciata). In The Birds of North America, No. 530 (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.). The Birds of North America, Inc., Philadelphia, PA.