[32.6] BIRDS OF OREGON 



advanced to account for their disappearance was that they had moved to 

 a new territory, presumably farther west, and the Band-tailed Pigeons are 

 still occasionally reported as being that long-lost species. Nothing could 

 be farther from the truth. Except in size, the two do not resemble each 

 other in any way, the differences between them being about the same as 

 those between the Band-tailed Pigeon and the Mourning Dove. In fact, 

 the Passenger Pigeon might be described as a much enlarged and more 

 highly decorated Mourning Dove. 



The food of the Band-tailed Pigeons consists largely of acorns, moun- 

 tain-ash berries, the numerous species of Rubus (blackberry, raspberry, 

 salmonberry, and thimbleberry), elderberries, currants, kinnikinnick, 

 dogwood, and many others, and seeds of grain, peas, legumes of various 

 kinds, and doubtless many others. After the breeding season the birds 

 gather in large flocks, feeding on the berries of salal, salmonberry, black- 

 berries, and the numerous abundant fruits of the fall months. The flocks 

 wander somewhat, occasionally appearing above timber line to feed about 

 the heather patches, apparently to obtain seeds of Lupinus lyalli, which 

 grows in abundance in such places. Gabrielson first noted this on August 

 15, 19x6, when a single bird was flushed from a heather patch on Mount 

 Hood, and has seen the same behavior several times since. 



There is, at times, considerable complaint regarding the depredations 

 of Band-tailed Pigeons on agricultural crops. Green prunes are eaten to 

 some extent, though usually not so heavily as to materially reduce the 

 crop, and every year it is alleged that these birds do great damage to 

 grain and peas. Where grain is broadcast, they do pick up kernels that 

 are left on the surface, but in no instance have we found them scratching 

 out the covered grain. Where peas are grown for canning they also eat 

 the peas remaining on the surface, which causes considerable concern 

 among the farmers. Gabrielson at one time spent two weeks checking 

 on this behavior and collected a number of stomachs. The birds had been 

 eating peas, but a careful check on the fields in question revealed no 

 damage to the crop. The flock showed a tendency to feed in the same 

 part of the field for several days in succession. Comparisons between 

 those areas and areas where the pigeons did not feed showed the stand on 

 the supposedly damaged area to be as good as that on other areas. As 

 the peas are drilled to a depth of 4 to 6 inches, this is logical. The birds 

 were at no time observed to scratch out seed, being content to wander 

 about picking up the spilled seed from the surface. 



Rock Dove: 



Columba livia livia Gmelin 



DESCRIPTION. Sexes alike. In original form, pale gray all over, except the rump, 

 which is white. Two distinct black bars across the wing, greenish metallic area on 

 either side of neck. In domestication, these have developed wide variations into 



