Few Americans are aware that our country has a native pigeon;the beautiful Band-tailed pigeon. Columba fasciata is a little smaller than a domestic pigeon, but a wee bit stockier in built. The Band-tailed pigeon is a remarkably beautiful member of the pigeon and dove family.
The appearance of the male is: head, breast and underparts are light purplish-pink tinged in gray. Shades of gray and mauve predominate the entire body. The head has an iridescent gloden-oliver-green or almost a bronzish olive-green sheen. A strikingly beautiful half-ring of white collars the head. The primaries are a very dark gray almost nearly black. The tail is a bluish-gray with a black band across it. The band nearly extends to the center of the tail on both sides. The skin surrounding the eyes is red; the eyes are pale yellow with mauve or pale pink outer rings. Unlike most pigeons and doves the Band-tailed pigeon has a very yellow bill with a black tip. The legs and feet are also deep yellow (most species of doves and pigeons have red legs and feet).
The hen is duller than the male especially where he is pink she is not. Juveniles are duller with rusty fawn fringes over most of their bodies. Eyes, bill, feet and legs are dark gray.
The Band-tailed pigeon is indigigenious to mountainous areas of western North America.From British Columbia, Canada to western North Dakota and as far south as northern Argentina.
Band-tailed pigeons inhabit temperate and subtropical mountain ranges.They are especially found where oaks are plentiful on wooded slopes and canyons.
Every morning my wife and I like to walk. Our walk takes us towards the San Bernardino mountains in Southern California not far from our home.Early one morning we saw a flock of Band-tailed pigeons feeding in wild elderberry trees.The flock consisted of fifty or sixty individuals ! When we were within fifty yards of the flock, most flew swiftly towards the mountains.Several individuals few to nearby power lines before returning to the elderberry trees.The fruit from these trees (Sambucus mexicana) seems to be a favorite of these birds.When I first moved to California from New England in the early sixties it was not uncommon to see these lovely pigeons in lower elevations of Los Angeles county.They would visit yards and gardens in the San Fernando Valley.As the human population grew the pigeons were seen less and less.We were totally amazed to see this beautiful species in the wild again.
Band-tailed pigeons are classified as a game bird in many states including California.Hunting pressures have made these lovely pigeons extremely wary of humans. The outlook does not look good for this species. Reproduction is low. Only one egg is laid and incubated at a time. As habituate disappears at an alarming rate the Band-tailed pigeon few places to go.
Dove and pigeon fanciers have successfully bred the Band-tailed pigeon in captivity. A federal permit is required to keep any native species. Breeding and capturing Band-tailed pigeons is illegal otherwise.
In captivity these birds are extremely wild. They require a very large aviary. Some fanciers remove the one squab at ten days old and hand raise it. The young Band-tailed pigeon will be somewhat tolerant of humans.Hand raised young are not neecessarily tame.These pigeons have a tendency to revert to their wild nature.If too much human contact is proved to a young Band-tailed pigeon it may imprint with humans and not be of any breeding value.Domestic homing pigeons make suitable foster parents. The young Band-tailed pigeon will not be as wild if raised by calm domestic birds.
This is a species that is difficult to find in captivity. They are expensive and require a lot of special care. The aviary needs to be very large. For one pair the aviary needs to be at least ten feet wide, thirty feet long and ten or more feet high. Good cover is essential. It is not unusual for captive Band-tailed pigeons to hit the walls and wire in panic attacks anytime the keeper comes near the aviary. This specie is not recommended for the average pigeon/dove enthusast. These beautiful pigeons require a lot of special attention,patience and understanding.
My personal opinion is that Band-tailed pigeon remain part of our wild American heritage. Only when its survival is threatened should we confine it to an aviary.
In the wild these pigeons feed on a variety of seeds, acorns, berries, young leaves and blossoms of a wide variety of trees and plants. Similar to the European Wood pigeon it feeds both in trees and on the ground. One unique characteristic of this species is that when it is feeding in trees it can cling and hang upside down with the same agility as a hookbill!
This behavior is totally "unpigeon-like" and surprises avian fanciers that are unfamiliar with arboreal pigeons.
In captivity the Band-tailed pigeon should be provided with not only a seed diet but also various berries when in season and other soft foods. Replicating a species' natural diet in the wild is difficult at best. Feeding them a diet of domestic pigeon seed is fool hearty. They will not thrive on a diet of hard grains for long.
In the wild this specie nests in trees and rocky ledges. One white egg is laid. Incubation is from 18 to 20 days. Most of the time only one brood is raised per season.
The real reward is seeing this beautiful pigeon in their natural habitate. They are incredibly graceful and swift flyers. When feeding they are elegant to say the least.
Captive breeding will ensure that this New World native will continue to exist. The Band-tailed pigeon is not in many collections, it is difficult to find and as stated earlier, expensive. Many dove and pigeon enthusiasts would not keep the Band-tailed pigeon even if were available and inexpensive. They are much too wild for most collectors.
From the Band-tailed pigeon's prospective, humans are preditors. How comfortable would any of us be in the ocean with a twenty-foot Great White shark nearby?
In conclusion, this specie deserves our attention so that it can continue to live and thrive in our world. After all it is their world too.