in trees. At one time flocks were numbered in thousands of individuals, but the numbers of birds have dwindled and flocks now often contain a few dozen birds, and seldom exceed a few hundred. It returns to its breeding range in April and nesting takes place during the late spring and summer. The nest site is in a hole in a cliff, a hollow tree or a ruined building. Two white eggs are laid on a platform of sticks. Status At one time abundant, the population of the yellow-eyed pigeon has declined considerably over the years. The chief threat this bird faces is hunting, in both its breeding range and its winter quarters; the present population trend is unknown but the decline may be continuing and the International Union for Conservation of Nature has assessed the bird's conservation status as being "vulnerable". References External links BirdLife Species Factsheet Oriental Bird Images: Yellow-eyed Pigeon Selected images yellow-eyed pigeon Birds of Central Asia Birds of Western China yellow-eyed pigeon yellow-eyed pigeon