Red-billed Pigeon

Overview

The red-billed pigeon (Patagioenas flavirostris) is a relatively large and robust species of pigeon found throughout coastal and lowland areas of Mexico and Central America. It belongs to a clade of Patagioenas that generally lacks iridescent display plumage and is currently listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.

Identification

• Largely dark, slate-grey plumage with a maroon or purple head, neck, and wing coverts, lacking an iridescent collar.
• Distinctive red bill with a yellow tip and pale red eyes surrounded by an orange orbital ring.
• Mid-to-large size, measuring between 30 and 37 cm in length, with a blue-grey belly and tail coverts.
• A long, high-pitched call consisting of a coooo followed by three cuk-c'-c'-coo notes, and a noticeable clapping noise when taking off.

Habitat

The species is distributed from southern Texas, United States, to Costa Rica, primarily inhabiting coastal and lowland areas of Mexico and Central America. It is most commonly found in dry forests and along riverside wetland areas, though it is rare to see during the winter and has a declining population in southern Texas.

Did you know?

Females are distinguished from males by having a duller coloured head and neck, while juveniles are even more dull with dark, dusky shoulders and a browner mantle and wings.