Band-tailed Pigeon
(Patagioenas fasciata)

Summary

Picture of bird
© Glen Tepke (www.pbase.com/gtepke)
For additional photos and vocalizations, visit Dendroica. (Link opens in a new window.)

In Canada, the Band-tailed Pigeon is found only in the forested habitats of coastal southern British Columbia. This species' population has shown a large decrease since the 1970s due in part to overhunting and habitat loss. Harvest has been severely limited in Canada for the past 20 years, in agreement with the Management Plan for the species. The species was assessed as Special Concern by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada in 2008 because of concerns over long-term population declines and habitat loss (COSEWIC 2008), and was listed as such under the federal Species at Risk Act in 2011. This species has been identified as a priority for conservation and/or stewardship in one or more Bird Conservation Region Strategies in Canada.

Designations

Main designations for the species
DesignationStatusDateSubspecies, population
COSEWIC (Canada)Special Concern2008 
SARA (Canada)Special Concern2011 
IUCN (Global)Least concern2018 
Partners in Flight (North America)Watch list - yellow D2017 
Wild Species (Canada)Vulnerable2015 
State of North America’s BirdsWatch list2016 
Bird Conservation Region StrategyPriority Species2013 

Population status

Geographic area or populationPopulation change relative to ~1970ReliabilityStatus in relation to goal
CanadaLarge DecreaseHighBelow Acceptable Level
 

Population estimate

Geographic area or populationPopulation estimate
Canada50,000 - 500,000 adults
 

Distribution maps

 

Migration strategy, occurrence

Short-distance migrant

Responsibility for conservation

Geographic areaResponsibility based on % of global population
CanadaLow

Conservation and management

The causes of the historical continental-scale decline of the Band-tailed Pigeon population are uncertain, but past excessive harvest in the United States is thought to be a major cause. Habitat loss is likely also a contributing factor, at least in the Pacific Coast populations. Band-tailed Pigeons are also subject to trichomoniasis, a parasitic disease caused by the protozoan parasite Trichomonas gallinae. This parasite has caused major mortality events in this species, in addition to some less-easily detected chronic losses (Seamans 2017). The single greatest challenge in the monitoring and management of Band-tailed Pigeon populations is the lack of reliable information on population size. Existing surveys provide only trends in abundance, and no reliable information is available on the total population size. For information on the legal status of this species under the Species at Risk Act (SARA) and to view available recovery documents, see the SARA Registry.

 

Bird conservation region strategies

Environment and Climate Change Canada and partners have developed Bird Conservation Region Strategies in each of Canada’s Bird Conservation Regions (BCRs). In these strategies, selected species are identified as priorities for one or more of the following reasons:

  • conservation concerns (i.e., species vulnerable due to population size, distribution, population trend, abundance, or threats)
  • stewardship responsibilities (i.e., species that typify the regional avifauna or have a large proportion of their range or population in the sub-region)
  • management concerns (i.e., species that require ongoing management because of their socio-economic importance as game species, or because of their impacts on other species or habitats)
  • other concerns (i.e., species deemed a priority by regional experts for other reasons than those listed above or because they are listed as species at risk or concern at the provincial level)

Select any of the sub-regions below to view the BCR strategy for additional details.

BCRs, marine biogeographic units, and sub-regions in which the species is listed as a priority
RegionSub-region and priority type
Great BasinGreat Basin, sub-region and priority type: Pacific and Yukon -- Other
Northern Pacific RainforestNorthern Pacific Rainforest, sub-region and priority type: Pacific and Yukon -- Conservation & Stewardship
 

References