BIRDS OF YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK 



99 



PIGEON-LIKE BIRDS: 

 Order Columbiformes 



PIGEONS AND DOVES: 



Family Columbidae 



BAND-TAILED PIGEON (Colum- 

 ba jasciata): 15-20 in. Above bluish- 

 gray; back of neck has dark green area, 

 margined anteriorly with white band; 

 lower abdomen whitish; breast and 

 upper abdomen pinkish-brown; dusky 

 hand across tail; resembles domestic 

 pigeon in size and shape. Clapping 

 sound made by wings when bird takes 

 flight. Travels in flocks. Voice a deep, 

 mellow too ;vhoo. Feeds on acorns, 

 berries, etc. 



BAND-TAILED PIGEON 



^<o: 15-20 





CALIF ROAD-RUNNER 



20-24 



Frequents oak woods, often where 

 mixed with conifers. Permanent R. 

 largely west of the Sierran divides. 

 Considerable shifting about of flocks 

 in winter. Occurs in mountains (Tran- 

 sition life-zone) in summer and in or 

 near foothills (Upper Sonoran life- 

 zone) in winter. S. V. to the Yosemite 

 region but some birds to be seen in 

 Yosemite Valley almost any season. 



MOURNING DOVE (Zenaidura 

 macroura): 11-13 in. Above soft olive- 

 brown ; wings marked with oval black 

 spots; top of head gray; below pinkish- 

 brown; central tail feathers long, outer, 

 ones tipped with white; tail long and 

 pointed. Whistling noise made by wings 

 when bird takes flight. Voice a plain- 

 tive, mellow coo-ah, coo, coo, the sec- 

 ond syllable higher than the rest. 



Frequents chiefly open deciduous 

 woodland or grassland and chaparral 

 but also ranges onto the open ground 

 of plains and deserts. R. in the Sierran 

 foothills and San Joaquin Valley. C. V. 

 to Yosemite region, in Yosemite Val- 

 ley and at higher elevations to 10,300 

 feet, as near Vogelsang Lake. 



CUCKOO-LIKE BIRDS: 



Order Cuculiformes 



CUCKOOS. ROAD-RUNNERS. 



ETC.: Family Cuculidae 



CALIFORNIA ROAD-RUNNER 



(Geococcyx calijornianus) : 20 - 24 in. 

 Above dusky brown, streaked with 

 tawny and rusty; crested; long tail with 

 outer feathers tipped with white; in 

 flight white crescent seen in short 

 rounded wings; two toes in front and 

 two behind producing X-shaped foot- 

 print. Usually runs rather than flies. 

 Song resembles the whining of a dog; 

 alarm note a gutteral, rattling brrrr. 



Found chiefly in the Lower and Up- 

 per Sonoran life-zones, most commonly 

 in the former. Frequents open ground 

 interspersed with brush and scattered 

 larger bushes or small trees. Sparse R. 

 in foothills near western edge of park. 



