Anguilla Backyard Birding Part 7

White-crowned Pigeon

White-crowned Pigeon

Ten years ago, seeing a White-crowned Pigeon anywhere in Anguilla, let alone my backyard, would have caused excitement. I vividly remember catching a glimpse of one in Katouche Valley in about 2014 and thinking - what a special moment. It was a “lifer” for me.

Since then, White-crowned Pigeons have established themselves in several locations across the island. Road Salt Pond is a favored spot for this species, and I have seen several juveniles there over the last three years.

White-crowned Pigeon Sampling Palm Seeds

In the early morning and late afternoon, they are a regular fixture on the wires on the road in front of the airport. They keep company with a large number of Gray Kingbirds and Zenaida Doves. The attraction at this location is the seeds of the palm trees that line the road. Before the recent removal of the stately trees on the airport grounds to make way for more concrete, they nested happily there.

Loss of habitat is a prime reason the White-crowned Pigeon has been IUCN listed as “Near Threatened.”

The IUCN defines Near Threatened as follows:

“NEAR THREATENED (NT) - A species is Near Threatened when it has been evaluated against the criteria but does not qualify for Critically Endangered, Endangered or Vulnerable now, but is close to qualifying for or is likely to qualify for a threatened category in the near future.”

To give you some perspective on the importance of the “Near Threatened” designation, the Piping Plover is also listed in this category.

White-crowned Pigeons have been severely impacted by habitat destruction and hunting throughout their range. Once a staple of the South Florida bird population, their nest sites and food sources were wiped out by development, and hunters destroyed the rest. Now they are only seen in the Florida Keys and are a coveted species for birders.

White-crowned Pigeons Perched in the Canopy

Adequate food sources are also critical to the survival of the White-crowned Pigeon. These birds rely heavily on the fruits of hardwood trees found in heavily forested areas. An island like Anguilla that lacks any significant “forest” area seems like an unlikely spot for this species to plant roots. However, Red and Black Mangrove trees provide suitable nesting habitats for these birds. Buttonwood and Sea Grape trees are also attractive food sources for the birds and their chicks. Perhaps this is why wetlands like Road Salt Pond are desirable breeding locations for White-crowned Pigeons.

It should be no surprise that these birds are moving farther to the east on Anguilla. Over the last year, a few have been spotted in Shoal Bay. Recently three birds have started to arrive at sunset to roost in the tree canopy at the back of my garden.

I suspect the berries from the Turpentine Trees in my yard are an excellent food source for these birds. They will have stiff competition from the other species that rely on them. Their size will give them an unfair advantage over the small Lesser Antilles Restricted Range Species. It will be interesting to monitor the impact of these new visitors on my established bird population.

Have you seen White-crowned Pigeons on Anguilla? I would love to hear about your experiences with this beautiful bird.