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