Adult
Description
Size: 14.5”
Plumage/Description: Males and females are similar in plumage. A very large wild, native pigeon. Skittish. Overall gray with distinctive markings including a bi-colored bill (yellow at the base, black at the tip), a white collar on the nape of the nape and iridescent green below the nape. The tail is bi-colored as well with a broad light-colored band at the end of the tail.
Habitat: Transition zone where Ponderosa Pines and oaks come together, at the higher elevations in the Bradshaw Mountains in Ponderosa Pine Forests.
Time of year: Spring, summer and fall resident, rare in winter.
Relative Abundance: Common in summer in appropriate habitat.
Behavior: Will frequent backyard bird feeders in forested settings but is very wary of humans. Scares easily. Usually occurs in small flocks.
Diet: Nuts, seeds, berries
Similar species: Rock Dove, Mourning Dove
Best sites: Residential settings bordering the National Forest, Ponderosa Pine habitat, at the higher elevations in the Bradshaw Mountains—Walker, Groom Creek.
