Red-billed Pigeon (Patagioenas flavirostris flavirostris)

24 January 2009, CATIE Botanical Garden, Costa Rica Red-billed Pigeon seems to be a misnomer, at least in this case. The bill is not red, but whitish or ivory with pinkish-red fleshy skin at the base (cere). This is a common bird of open country and is considered to be an agricultural pest in some areas. Costa Rica is the southern limit of this species which ranges north to extreme southern Texas. This is probably a male because of the extensive wine-purple coloration on the wing-coverts. Females are similar but usually duller. This is the same subspecies that reaches the United States in Southern Texas. Another, smaller race is found in Pacific Costa Rica Lowlands. Panasonic Lumix LZ5 / Nikon FieldScope 3 / 30X WA hand-held (no adapter)