Actually, they're quite common in my neck of the woods, but they are considered "near threatened" throughout its range, which consists of the Caribbean islands and parts of coastal Central America. For once, habitat loss isn't the problem; it's hunting. At least they're protected now in the U.S. where they're only found in Florida south of Lake Okeechobee and through the Keys.
This one's a juvenile; an adult is easily recognized by its bright white pate. If you click on the top image, the enlarged photo will show you where its white crown is starting to appear.
It hadn't quite got flying down, and was having a hard time landing on the bird bath. A smaller blue jay arrived, but the pigeon successfully shooed him off.
Gardening for Pollinators: The Easy Way to Prune Perennials While Keeping
Stem-Nesting Bees Safe
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When I wrote that I was confused by conflicting info online about
stem-besting bees and how gardeners can help them, Amy Campion left an
instructive comm...
12 hours ago