Idaho · Year-round resident

Band-tailed Pigeons in Idaho

When band-tailed pigeons are present in Idaho, when they nest, which native Idaho plants feed them, and how to host them in a USDA 3b–7b yard.

Pigeons and doves (Columbidae)Band-tailed PigeonPatagioenas fasciata

Status in Idaho: Year-round resident
Nesting window: April–August
Broods: 1–2 per season
Hardiness zones: USDA 3b–7b

When to expect band-tailed pigeons in Idaho

Band-tailed Pigeons live in Idaho all year. Cold winters with inversions in the valleys; mountain finches and Bohemian Waxwings move into towns. That makes the cold months the time your yard matters most to them.

Semi-arid sagebrush plains along the Snake River and forested mountains to the north and center.

Nesting in Idaho

Across Idaho, band-tailed pigeons typically nest from April–August. Plan around that window: March for setup, August for clean-out.

Hot, dry summers in the Snake River Plain and cool mountain summers.

Band-tailed Pigeons don't use nest boxes. Keep dense native shrubs and trees such as smooth sumac, chokecherry, red-osier dogwood for nest sites.
Delay heavy pruning of shrubs until after August.

Native Idaho plants that attract band-tailed pigeons

Of the regional native plants we track for Idaho, these 8 provide food or cover band-tailed pigeons use:

Smooth sumac

Rhus glabra · Shrub

Red fruit heads hang on through winter.

Chokecherry

Prunus virginiana · Shrub

Dark summer fruit and heavy caterpillar load.

Red-osier dogwood

Cornus sericea · Shrub

White fruit and red winter stems; good thicket cover.

Highbush cranberry

Viburnum trilobum · Shrub

Red fruit persists until late winter when other food is gone.

Common hackberry

Celtis occidentalis · Tree

Sweet dry fruit on the branch all winter.

Rocky Mountain juniper

Juniperus scopulorum · Tree

Berry-like cones feed bluebirds, solitaires and waxwings in winter.

Golden currant

Ribes aureum · Shrub

Early yellow flowers for hummingbirds, then summer fruit.

Western serviceberry

Amelanchier alnifolia · Shrub

Saskatoon berries ripen in early summer.

Feeding band-tailed pigeons through the Idaho year

Top foods: Cracked corn, Black-oil sunflower (on platforms).
In Idaho's winter: Cold winters with inversions in the valleys; mountain finches and Bohemian Waxwings move into towns.

Full diet breakdown for band-tailed pigeons · Best feeder for band-tailed pigeons

Frequently asked

Are band-tailed pigeons in Idaho year-round?

Yes. Band-tailed Pigeons are year-round residents in Idaho.

When do band-tailed pigeons nest in Idaho?

Nesting in Idaho typically runs April–August, with 1–2 per season. Clutches are 1–2 eggs, incubated for 18–20 days.

What native plants attract band-tailed pigeons in Idaho?

Smooth sumac, Chokecherry, Red-osier dogwood, Highbush cranberry, Common hackberry, Rocky Mountain juniper, Golden currant, Western serviceberry are native plants in Idaho that provide food or cover for band-tailed pigeons.

Band-tailed Pigeons in other regions

Arizona California Colorado Montana Nevada New Mexico Oregon Texas Utah Washington Wyoming

Other backyard birds in Idaho

Black-capped Chickadee Downy Woodpecker Hairy Woodpecker American Goldfinch White-breasted Nuthatch House Wren House Finch Mourning Dove American Robin Dark-eyed Junco Song Sparrow Chipping Sparrow Northern Flicker Pileated Woodpecker Red-breasted Nuthatch Brown Creeper Red-winged Blackbird Evening Grosbeak Pine Siskin Common Redpoll Gray Catbird Cedar Waxwing Tree Swallow Barn Swallow Yellow-rumped Warbler Eastern Kingbird American Tree Sparrow House Sparrow European Starling Steller's Jay Woodhouse's Scrub-Jay Black-billed Magpie Canada Jay Mountain Chickadee Chestnut-backed Chickadee Bushtit Juniper Titmouse Pygmy Nuthatch Black-chinned Hummingbird Rufous Hummingbird Broad-tailed Hummingbird Lesser Goldfinch Cassin's Finch Spotted Towhee California Quail Western Bluebird Mountain Bluebird Say's Phoebe White-crowned Sparrow Fox Sparrow Varied Thrush Violet-green Swallow Black-headed Grosbeak Lazuli Bunting Bullock's Oriole Eurasian Collared-Dove American Crow Common Raven Cooper's Hawk Sharp-shinned Hawk Red-tailed Hawk Great Horned Owl American Kestrel Wild Turkey Mallard Great Blue Heron Belted Kingfisher Brown-headed Cowbird Ruby-crowned Kinglet Golden-crowned Kinglet Hermit Thrush Pine Grosbeak Red Crossbill Gray Catbird Western Tanager Black-throated Sparrow Lark Sparrow Green-tailed Towhee Pinyon Jay Clark's Nutcracker Western Screech-Owl Hooded Merganser Yellow Warbler Common Yellowthroat American Redstart Yellow-breasted Chat Orange-crowned Warbler Red-eyed Vireo Warbling Vireo Least Flycatcher Western Kingbird Ash-throated Flycatcher Cliff Swallow Northern Rough-winged Swallow Bank Swallow Common Nighthawk Canada Goose American Coot Killdeer Spotted Sandpiper Black-crowned Night Heron Turkey Vulture Osprey Bald Eagle Merlin Peregrine Falcon Northern Saw-whet Owl Burrowing Owl Lewis's Woodpecker Black-backed Woodpecker American Three-toed Woodpecker White-headed Woodpecker Savannah Sparrow Vesper Sparrow Snow Bunting Lapland Longspur Horned Lark Common Redpoll White-winged Crossbill Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch Bohemian Waxwing Bobolink Yellow-headed Blackbird Brewer's Blackbird Rock Pigeon

Sources

Timing reflects typical patterns for the region as a whole; local dates vary with elevation and year. Check the linked eBird bar charts for your county.