Band-tailed Pigeon (Columba fasciata)

Since 1996, staff has conducted yearly band-tailed pigeon surveys, in cooperation with WDFW.

Description: 14 to 16 inches tall, dark gray above; tail has pale gray terminal band. Head and under parts purplish-plum, whitening toward vent. Adults have narrow white semi-collar on nap. Yellow bill is tipped with black; legs are yellow. Voice: A deep, owl-like whoo-hoo. Habitat: Coniferous forests along the northern Pacific coast, but in the southwestern part of its range it prefers oak woodlands or pine-oak forests where it can feed on acorns. Nesting: One white egg in a loosely constructed platform nest of twigs in a tree. Range: From southern British Columbia to Baja California in and near coastal forests and hills; in mountain chains extending from Utah and Colorado south through Mexico and Central America.