Band-tailed Pigeon
Patagioenas fasciata
North America's largest pigeon, a fast-flying forest bird and the closest living relative of the extinct passenger pigeon.
Checking teacher reviews…
About the Band-tailed Pigeon
Band-tailed pigeons are 13 to 16 inches long with a 26-inch wingspan, making them the largest pigeons in North America. They are gray with a white collar and shiny green neck feathers. They live in mature forests, oak woodlands and parks in western North America and in the mountains of Central and South America. They eat fruits, nuts and seeds, often in large flocks.[1]
Quick facts
- Scientific name
- Patagioenas fasciata[1]
- Size
- 13 to 16 inches long; 26-inch wingspan.[1]
- Weight
- 7.9 to 18.2 ounces.[1]
- Lifespan
- Up to 18 years.[1]
- Diet
- Fruits, nuts and seeds, and sometimes insects.[1]
- Habitat
- Mature forests, oak woodlands and parks.[1]
- Where it lives
- Western North America and the mountains of Central and South America.[1]
- Group life
- Flocks; nests in small colonies.[1]
- Babies
- Usually 1 egg at a time, incubated for about 3 weeks.[1]
- Conservation status
- Least Concern (IUCN Red List, assessed 2025).[2]
Fun facts
Vocabulary
- crop milk
- A rich food that pigeons and doves make in their throats to feed their chicks.
- extinct
- No longer living anywhere.
- colony
- A large group of animals of one kind that live or nest together.
- migrate
- To travel from one region to another with the seasons.
- least concern
- A conservation label meaning a species is widespread and not at risk of dying out soon.
See it in person
- Smithsonian's National ZooWashington, D.C. · Bird HouseSee this animal on the zoo's website ↗
These zoos had this animal when we gathered our information, but animals sometimes move. Check the zoo's website or contact the zoo before you visit.
Sources
- [1] Smithsonian's National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute. “Band-tailed pigeon.” https://nationalzoo.si.edu/animals/band-tailed-pigeon (accessed 2026-10-08)
- [2] IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. “Patagioenas fasciata (Band-tailed Pigeon).” https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/22725264/139346597 (accessed 2026-10-08)
Facts last checked 2026-10-08.
