Band-tailed Pigeon
Band-tailed Pigeon has risen sharply: up 74% on the route-weighted index since 1970.
About the Band-tailed Pigeon
The Band-tailed Pigeon (Patagioenas fasciata) is a North American member of the Pigeons & Doves (Columbidae). In this analysis it is grouped with the forest birds.
- Size
- 6–14.5 in long (15–37 cm) — a plump-bodied bird (typical for the family)
- Habitat
- Woodlands and forest edges, including wooded suburbs and parks.
- Diet
- Insects and spiders gleaned from foliage and bark, with seeds and berries in season.
- Range
- Recorded on 342 Breeding Bird Survey routes across 10 states, most concentrated in the Northern Pacific Rainforest.
- Family
- Columbidae · Forest birds
Notable Band-tailed Pigeon Trends
Band-tailed Pigeon has risen sharply in surveyed states: up 74% on the route-weighted index since 1970.
Band-tailed Pigeon Population Forecast
If the recent trend holds, Band-tailed Pigeon is projected to stay roughly flat through 2029, near 0.29 (95% range 0.13–0.45). A 5-year backtest shows a typical error of ±9%, with 100% of held-out values landing inside the 95% band.
| Year | Projected index | 95% low | 95% high |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 0.29 | 0.13 | 0.45 |
| 2026 | 0.29 | 0.13 | 0.45 |
| 2027 | 0.29 | 0.13 | 0.45 |
| 2028 | 0.29 | 0.13 | 0.45 |
| 2029 | 0.29 | 0.13 | 0.45 |
Where the Band-tailed Pigeon Is Detected
BBS routes recording Band-tailed Pigeon, sized by most recent count.
Band-tailed Pigeon Population Trend by State
| Alaska | insufficient data | n/a | 3 |
| Arizona | +80% | 1970 | 21 |
| California | +66% | 1970 | 150 |
| Colorado | -94% | 1975 | 34 |
| Nevada | insufficient data | n/a | 1 |
| New Mexico | -91% | 1972 | 17 |
| Oregon | -26% | 1970 | 54 |
| Texas | insufficient data | n/a | 2 |
| Utah | -96% | 1980 | 9 |
| Washington | -4% | 1970 | 51 |
Band-tailed Pigeon Population Trend by Region
Bird Conservation Regions are the ecological unit for trends.
| Northern Pacific Rainforest | +7% | 1970 | 121 |
| Great Basin | -62% | 1970 | 27 |
| Sierra Nevada | -58% | 1972 | 36 |
| Southern Rockies / Colorado Plateau | -91% | 1971 | 53 |
| Coastal California | +36% | 1971 | 72 |
| Sonoran and Mojave Deserts | -91% | 1978 | 3 |
| Sierra Madre Occidental | +10% | 1970 | 23 |
| Chihuahuan Desert | -96% | 1971 | 5 |
Band-tailed Pigeon Conservation Status
Our route-weighted index shows it up about 74% since 1970.
Source: USGS North American Breeding Bird Survey, retrieved 2026-05-22. Trend is a route-weighted relative-abundance index, not an absolute population.