Native California Species Dying Off At 'Concerning' Rate

A bird native to California has been "dying off" across the state in recent months. According to SF Gate, the band-tailed pigeon population is at risk due to a widespread parasitic infection. The infection in question, known under the scientific name of Avian Trichomonosis, has killed nearly 300 pigeons since January. These pigeons are different than the ones you might see stalking city sidewalks. Band-tailed pigeons have "green feathers on the backs of their necks" and are the size of a small hawk. They are most commonly seen along the coast. California Department of Fish and Wildlife environmental scientist Krysta Rogers explained that the tragic phenomenon only occurs during the Winter months.

“More recently, outbreaks have been documented in nine of the last 10 years. The parasite may be circulating at some level within the population year-round, but outbreaks in which hundreds to thousands of pigeons may die are most often reported during the winter months when nearly the entire Pacific Coast population of band-tailed pigeons is over-wintering in California.”

This is not the first time that the band-tailed pigeon population has greatly decreased as a result of the rapidly-spreading parasite. A whopping 18,440 pigeons died across the state from 2014 to 2015 from Avian Trichomonosis.