BAND-TAILED PIGEON 579 



Oregon, it is common in summer (Bendire, 1892, p. 123) ; at Dayton, 

 Yamhill County, Oregon, it arrives about April 20 and leaves by the 

 last of November (Woodcock, 1902, p. 28) ; and at Coi'vallis, Benton 

 County, Oregon, it occurs from the first of April until the last of 

 September (Woodcock, 1902, pp. 28, 29). 



From the above data it will be seen that north of the northern 

 boundary of California the Band-tailed Pigeon is wholly migratory. 

 It seems inevitable that this northern-bred contingent should move 

 south into CaUfoi'nia for the winter season, and there is, therefore, 

 little reason to doubt the inference that the birds which concentrate 

 in winter in west-central and southern California, represent the entire 

 pigeon population of the Pacific coast region. If this be true it is of 

 course apparent that aS far as the whole Pacific coast region is con- 

 cerned, California alone is, in winter, responsible for the existence 

 of the species. 



Band-tailed Pigeons occur in California thrbughout the year, but 

 hot continuously in the same localities. In general, the species is 

 found in the mountainous districts in the summer season and in the 

 foothills and vaUeys during the winter months. In event of con- 

 tinued favorable weather, the birds will often continiie in their sum- 

 mer haunts until October or even November, long after other migrant 

 species have departed, prbbably because the supply of acorns and 

 other favored foods is not exhausted until that tilne.: When finally 

 forced to lower altitudes they repair to the foothills where acorns 

 and berries are still to be found. Only rarely, as when driven by 

 heavy storms in the mountains, or by scarcity of food in the foothills, 

 do the birds resort to open valleys. They may then forage on the 

 scattered grain of the stubble fields (Gaylord, 1899, p. 7). Their 

 spring time rieturn from the lower country is also largely controlled 

 by food supply. For example, in 1895 a largfe flock remained until 

 mid- June at Oak Knoll, near Pasadena; Los Angeles' County, feed^ 

 ing on acorns (Grinnell, 1898, p. 20) ; and in earlier years, about 

 the southern end of San Francisco Bay (Palo Alto and Santa Clai-a 

 Valley) the birds often remained until well into May (Van Denbiirgh, 

 1899, p. 159). 



The Band-tailed Pigeon may be easily recognized by its large Size 

 (being of about the build and bulk of a domestic pigeon) , its general 

 bluish coloration, and its light gray, square-ended tail, crossed by a 

 distinct dark band near the middle. This band is most readily seen 

 just as the bird alights, for then the tail is widely spread. The Mourn- 

 ing Dove, which at times occurs in the same places as the Band-tailed 

 Pigeon, is at once distinguishable by its smaller size, brownish upper 

 surface, and long, pointed, white-margined tail. The little brownish 

 Mexican Ground Dove is less than one-tenth the bulk of the pigfeon, 



