From Opus

Patagioenas squamosa

Formerly known as Red-necked Pigeon

Photo by Dave Mangham
Location: Holetown, Barbados

[edit] Identification

The body of this bird is almost entirely slate-gray with breast, neck, and head reddish. The sides and back of the neck is covered in a scaly pattern, giving the bird its name. The eye is yellow, surrounded by a red eye-ring and a bare area that is ligth red. The bill is two-colored, red inner and yellow distally while legs are red.

[edit] Distribution

Widespread resident in the West Indies and on islands off Venezuela, status varying with hunting intensity. Accidental vagrant to Florida (with 2 old records).

[edit] Taxonomy

Scaly-naped Pigeon is monotypic. It has previously been placed in genus Columba.

[edit] Habitat

Habitat is forests, often montane, but in some islands also occur in villages (from Raffaele et al.). Where it occupies the same island as White-crowned Pigeon, they tend to segregate so that the White-crowned are in wetter areas including mangrove, while Scaly-naped is in the dryer areas.

[edit] Behaviour

The voice is somewhat variable, three-four syllables, but often includes a down-slurred element.

[edit] External Links