Patagioenas fasciata
Silhouette: Ferran Sayol · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~70% in a week ~90%
The band-tailed pigeon (Patagioenas fasciata) is a pigeon native to the Americas, and one of the largest pigeons in this region. It is largely gray, but with a thin white collar on the nape and a purple-gray breast. The band-tailed pigeon is one of the largest pigeons in the Americas, measuring 33 to 40 cm (13 to 16 in) long and weighing 226–460 g (8.0–16.2 oz), with the males on average slightly larger than females, but with much overlap. Although sometimes cited as the largest North American pigeon, the red-billed pigeon (P. flavirostris) is about the same size, weighing 268–424 g (9.5–15.0 oz). Band-tailed pigeons have thick-based, pointed wings, with a wingspan of 66 cm (26 in).
The plumage is gray, somewhat darker above. The head and underparts have a faint pink cast, especially in the adult male; the belly is nearly white. The distal half of the tail is also pale (except in the subspecies of Baja California) with a darker gray band at the base, whence the English name. The bill and feet are yellow, good identification marks at sufficiently close range. Adults have green iridescence on the back of the neck, adjacent to the thin white collar on the nape. Juvenile... Wikipedia →
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Quito | 🇪🇨 Ecuador | |
| 2 | Los Angeles | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | San Francisco | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 4 | Portland | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 5 | Seattle | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 6 | Bogota | 🇨🇴 Colombia | |
| 7 | Vancouver | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 8 | Medellín | 🇨🇴 Colombia | |
| 9 | San José | 🇨🇷 Costa Rica | |
| 10 | Cali | 🇨🇴 Colombia |
| # | Zoo / Centre | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | National Zoological Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Bronx Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 4 | El Nispero Zoo | 🇵🇦 Panama | |
| 5 | Sequoia Park Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 6 | Lindsay Wildlife Experience | 🇺🇸 United States |
Possible
About 30% of wildlife watchers report a Band-tailed Pigeon sighting in Tapantí-Macizo de la Muerte National Park on a given day, based on 3,440 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 21st most-seen of the 467 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 70%, and over a week to about 90%, if each day is a fresh chance.
March
In that month about 50% of wildlife watchers report a Band-tailed Pigeon in Tapantí-Macizo de la Muerte National Park on a given day, against about 20% in October to December, the lowest months. That is one of Tapantí-Macizo de la Muerte National Park's driest months, with about 180 mm of rain against 570 mm in October.
Between 8 and 11 am
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Band-tailed Pigeon sightings with a recorded time, and nearly all of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
6th of 35
Of the 35 parks where we can rate Band-tailed Pigeon sightings, Tapantí-Macizo de la Muerte National Park ranks 6th at about 30%. The best odds are in Irazú Volcano National Park (Costa Rica, about 60%), Los Quetzales National Park (Costa Rica, about 40%) and Podocarpus National Park (Ecuador, about 40%). All parks ranked.
Same genus: Patagioenas
The closest relatives of the Band-tailed Pigeon that you can see in Tapantí-Macizo de la Muerte National Park (genus Patagioenas, New World Pigeons) are Ruddy Pigeon (about 20%), Short-billed Pigeon (about 10%) and Red-billed Pigeon (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Band-tailed Pigeon is recorded against all the birds logged in Tapantí-Macizo de la Muerte National Park (3,440 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
