Big Pigeon Hears Well

I went to take the garbage out this week when I was stopped short by a very large bird on a branch over the can. I carefully put down the trash and grabbed my camera, hopeful the bird wouldn’t hear me. But one click of the shutter was all it took to be noticed. Turns out this was a band-tailed pigeon, the largest of all pigeons in North America, weighing about 18 ounces. I’d guessed ten pounds–I mean, look at those claws.