Tweets,

The Band-tailed Pigeon endangerment scare has been a key theme of Robert
Kavanaugh, an environmental activist from Olympia who has been actively
promoting the protection of the Garry Oak habitats which he perceives to
be seriously threatened by clearing, etc., in southern Washington.
Band-tails are closely associated with oaks & acorns over much of their
range, but whether there is more substantial evidence of serious declines
throughout I don't know.

Gene Hunn.

On Thu, 2 Mar 1995, Nunnallee, Dave wrote:

>
> I've been a little surprised by several remarks made recently about
> Band-tailed Pigeons; folks expressed concern with their ravenous appetites,
> cleaning out bird feeders, competing with other feeder visitors. Some are
> apparently trying to keep the Band-tails away?
>
> For several years, we have had sizeable flocks of Band-tails visiting our
> feeders. We have had up to 50 or so at a time, with 30 common on a daily
> basis. And yes, it does stress our bird feed budget.
>
> But I still feel a little shiver down my spine whenever these handsome birds
> begin raining down in numbers from the big fir trees to our feeders. Even
> though they visit our feeder frequently, sometimes several times a day, they
> are still among my favorite local birds, and I would feel a real loss if
> they were not here.
>
> Several years ago, I recall that the (then) State Game Dept severely reduced
> hunting seasons for Band-tails because of population decreases. In late
> 1991, I received a listing from the (then) Dept. of Wildlife, titled "PHS:
> Priority Habitats and Species - Forested & Urban Growth Areas". This was a
> draft listing and I have not seen the final document, but its intent was to
> list species of concern in the State. Band-tailed Pigeons were on this list
> because of the following (and I quote selectively here):
>
> "Uncommon species...that may be affected by habitat loss or
> change...that are vulnerable to urbanizing influences ... for which the
> maintenance of a stable population and surplus for recreation may be
> affected by habitat loss or change..."
>
> Whatever their status, I feel very fortunate to live in an area where
> Band-tails can be seen on a daily basis. Bear in mind, too, that this is a
> western specialty species, and that birders in some 80% of the US never see
> Band-tails. Indeed, this species is often on the "want list" of many
> eastern visitors.
>
> Dave Nunnallee
> dnun461 at ecy.wa.gov
> Bellevue, WA
>