New Mexico · Year-round resident

Band-tailed Pigeons in New Mexico

When band-tailed pigeons are present in New Mexico, when they nest, which native New Mexico plants feed them, and how to host them in a USDA 4b–9a yard.

Pigeons and doves (Columbidae)Band-tailed PigeonPatagioenas fasciata

Status in New Mexico: Year-round resident
Nesting window: April–August
Broods: 1–2 per season
Hardiness zones: USDA 4b–9a

When to expect band-tailed pigeons in New Mexico

Band-tailed Pigeons live in New Mexico all year. Cold nights and sunny days; many desert and mountain birds move to lower elevations. That makes the cold months the time your yard matters most to them.

Arid to semi-arid, with Chihuahuan desert in the south and mountain forest above 7,000 ft.

Nesting in New Mexico

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

Hot, dry early summer followed by the July–August monsoon.

Band-tailed Pigeons don't use nest boxes. Keep dense native shrubs and trees such as smooth sumac, black cherry, american elderberry for nest sites.
Delay heavy pruning of shrubs until after August.

Native New Mexico plants that attract band-tailed pigeons

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

Smooth sumac

Rhus glabra · Shrub

Red fruit heads hang on through winter.

Black cherry

Prunus serotina · Tree

Summer fruit and one of the top caterpillar host trees.

American elderberry

Sambucus canadensis · Shrub

Late-summer berry clusters taken by over 40 bird species.

Virginia creeper

Parthenocissus quinquefolia · Vine

Blue fruit on red stems in early fall.

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.

Rocky Mountain juniper

Juniperus scopulorum · Tree

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

Gambel oak

Quercus gambelii · Tree

Acorns for jays and woodpeckers across the southern Rockies.

Feeding band-tailed pigeons through the New Mexico year

Top foods: Cracked corn, Black-oil sunflower (on platforms).
In New Mexico's winter: Cold nights and sunny days; many desert and mountain birds move to lower elevations.

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

Frequently asked

Are band-tailed pigeons in New Mexico year-round?

Yes. Band-tailed Pigeons are year-round residents in New Mexico.

When do band-tailed pigeons nest in New Mexico?

Nesting in New Mexico 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 New Mexico?

Smooth sumac, Black cherry, American elderberry, Virginia creeper, Chokecherry, Red-osier dogwood, Rocky Mountain juniper, Gambel oak are native plants in New Mexico that provide food or cover for band-tailed pigeons.

Band-tailed Pigeons in other regions

Arizona California Colorado Idaho Montana Nevada Oregon Texas Utah Washington Wyoming

Other backyard birds in New Mexico

Northern Cardinal 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 Red-breasted Nuthatch Brown Creeper Common Grackle Red-winged Blackbird Evening Grosbeak Pine Siskin Indigo Bunting Painted Bunting Gray Catbird Northern Mockingbird Cedar Waxwing Tree Swallow Barn Swallow Yellow-rumped Warbler House Sparrow European Starling Steller's Jay Woodhouse's Scrub-Jay Black-billed Magpie Mountain Chickadee Bushtit Juniper Titmouse Pygmy Nuthatch Anna's Hummingbird Black-chinned Hummingbird Broad-tailed Hummingbird Costa's Hummingbird Lesser Goldfinch Cassin's Finch Spotted Towhee Canyon Towhee Gambel's Quail Western Bluebird Mountain Bluebird Say's Phoebe Black Phoebe Gila Woodpecker Ladder-backed Woodpecker Cactus Wren Curve-billed Thrasher Verdin Pyrrhuloxia Bewick's Wren White-crowned Sparrow Violet-green Swallow Black-headed Grosbeak Lazuli Bunting Bullock's Oriole Eurasian Collared-Dove White-winged Dove Inca 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 Eastern Meadowlark Brown-headed Cowbird Ruby-crowned Kinglet Golden-crowned Kinglet Hermit Thrush Red Crossbill Gray Catbird Western Tanager Hooded Oriole Phainopepla Black-throated Sparrow Lark Sparrow Green-tailed Towhee Pinyon Jay Western Screech-Owl Hooded Merganser Yellow Warbler Common Yellowthroat Yellow-breasted Chat Orange-crowned Warbler Warbling Vireo Western Kingbird Scissor-tailed Flycatcher Vermilion Flycatcher Ash-throated Flycatcher Cliff Swallow Northern Rough-winged Swallow Bank Swallow Common Nighthawk Canada Goose American Coot Killdeer Spotted Sandpiper Green Heron Black-crowned Night Heron Turkey Vulture Osprey Bald Eagle Merlin Peregrine Falcon Northern Saw-whet Owl Barn Owl Burrowing Owl Lewis's Woodpecker Savannah Sparrow Vesper Sparrow Horned Lark Blue Grosbeak Varied Bunting Cactus Wren Greater Roadrunner Yellow-billed Cuckoo Yellow-headed Blackbird Brewer's Blackbird Great-tailed Grackle 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.