Red-billed Pigeon
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The Red-billed Pigeon, (Patagioenas flavirostris or Columba flavirostris), is a largish pigeon which breeds from southern Texas, United States and northwestern Mexico south to Costa Rica.
It is found in open country with some trees, large clearings and cultivation in lowlands and middle altitudes to 2100 m. It builds a rudimentary platform nest out of twigs 4-25 m high in a tree, usually on a horizontal branch or on a palm crown, and lays one white egg.
The Red-billed Pigeon is 30 cm long and weighs 230 g. It is mainly wine-purple, becoming browner on the back, and with a grey tail, lower belly and flight feathers. The bill is white with a red base, and the legs and eyes are red. Juvenile birds are duller than adults and the plumage is brown-tinged.
It is normally seen alone or in pairs and rarely forms flocks. It feeds on the ground, seeking acorns, berries and buds.
Red-billed Pigeon has a loud cuk c’ c’ coooo, cuk c’ c’ coooo call
References
- Stiles and Skutch, A guide to the birds of Costa Rica ISBN 0-0814-9600-4
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