Short-billed Pigeon

About the Short-billed Pigeon

The short-billed pigeon (Patagioenas nigrirostris) is a largish pigeon which breeds from southern Mexico south to northwestern Colombia. It is a member of a clade of Patagioenas that contains the smaller and rather plain species with characteristic calls that constitute the subgenus Oenoenas. It is found in lowland forest canopy and semi-open woodland, and builds a rudimentary platform nest out of twigs 5–30 m (16–98 ft) high in a tree or amongst vines. It lays one white egg. The short-billed pigeon is 26.5 cm (10.4 in) long and weighs 150 g (5.3 oz). It is unpatterned and mainly wine-purple in colour, becoming browner on the belly and more olive-brown on the back. The tail and primary flight feathers are blackish, the bill is black, and the legs and eyes are purple-red.

Source: Wikipedia

Classification

Scientific name

Patagioenas nigrirostris

Family

Pigeons and Doves

Order

Columbiformes

Similar species

Other members of the pigeons and doves family recorded in North America — a useful place to start if you are not certain of your identification.

• African Collared-Dove Streptopelia roseogrisea
• Band-tailed Pigeon Patagioenas fasciata
• Blue Ground Dove Claravis pretiosa
• Caribbean Dove Leptotila jamaicensis
• Common Ground Dove Columbina passerina
• Common Wood-Pigeon Columba palumbus
• Crested Pigeon Ocyphaps lophotes
• Diamond Dove Geopelia cuneata
• Eurasian Collared-Dove Streptopelia decaocto
• European Turtle-Dove Streptopelia turtur
• Gray-chested Dove Leptotila cassinii
• Gray-headed Dove Leptotila plumbeiceps