Rare White-crowned Pigeon is at Ding Darling NWR, FL

Saw the rare White-crowned Pigeon yesterday at J. N. Ding Darling NWR, Sanibel ,FL. This is a very unusual bird for here, although there have been a very few sightings previously on Sanibel. Their status is listed as Threatened in FL. They live in the very southern tip of FL. Research has indicated that the total distribution of this bird occurs in the Caribbean Basin, the Bahamas and extreme southern Florida, but they make long over-water flights between breeding and wintering areas within this region. They are threatened due to loss of habitat and hunting and poaching in their range. White-crowned Pigeons feed mainly on fruits of hardwood trees and they are an important dispersal agent for these trees. It was nice to see this bird on the Shell Mound trail, which had a lot of fruiting hardwood trees, thus providing the type of habitat crucial for this bird species. What a special bird for us to see!!

White-crowed Pigeon Still at Ding Darling NWR, Sanibel, FL

The White-crowned Pigeon is still at J.N.Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge, Sanibel FL, on the Shell Mound trail. This is the celebrity bird of the winter, as it is quite unusual to be seen here and listed as Threatened in the state of Florida. Here is is sitting in the Snowberry it loves to eat. So many birders have come to see and enjoy it.

Cool Sanibel Birds today!

White-crowned Pigeon was out in the open today, roosting on the Shell Mound trail in Ding Darling NWR. Listed as threatened in FL, this bird is finding the hardwood fruits it needs in this upland hammock habitat.

White-crowned Pigeon

Short-tailed Hawk, flew over us on Sanibel, this hawk is rarely seen here.

American Kestrel hunting from a low shrub on the beach today because of high winds.

Some cool birds seen on Sanibel Island today. You never know what you'll find that's the fun of birding.

White-crowned Pigeon, Again, Sanibel, FL!

We saw a White-crowned Pigeon on the Shell Mound Trail, Ding Darling NWR this morning. We had also seen this bird there last year. Maybe it is the same bird. Such a treat to see as it is listed as threatened in FL.
This is a very unusual bird for here, although there have been a very few sightings previously on Sanibel. Research has indicated that the total distribution of this bird occurs in the Caribbean Basin, the Bahamas and extreme southern Florida, but they make long over-water flights between breeding and wintering areas within this region. They are threatened due to loss of habitat and hunting and poaching in their range. White-crowned Pigeons feed mainly on fruits of hardwood trees and they are an important dispersal agent for these trees. It was nice to see this bird on the Shell Mound trail, which had a lot of fruiting hardwood trees, thus providing the type of habitat crucial for this bird species. What a special bird for us to see!!

White-crowned Pigeon, Ding Darling NWR, Sanibel, FL

White-crowned Pigeon at Ding Darling NWR, on the Shell Mound Trail, when sun came out.

White-crowned Pigeon

Preening

This afternoon we saw a White-crowned Pigeon on the Shell Mound Trail at Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge. This is a very unusual bird for here, although there have been a very few sightings previously on Sanibel. Their status is listed as Threatened in FL. They live in the very southern tip of FL. Research has indicated that the total distribution of this bird occurs in the Caribbean Basin, the Bahamas and extreme southern Florida, but they make long over-water flights between breeding and wintering areas within this region. They are threatened due to loss of habitat and hunting and poaching in their range. White-crowned Pigeons feed mainly on fruits of hardwood trees and they are an important dispersal agent for these trees. It was nice to see this bird on the Shell Mound trail, which had a lot of fruiting hardwood trees, thus providing the type of habitat crucial for this bird species. What a special bird for us to see!!