- Patagioenas squamosa
Formerly known as Red-necked Pigeon
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.
Distribution
Widespread resident in the West Indies and on islands off Venezuela, status varying with hunting intensity.
Taxonomy
Scaly-naped Pigeon is monotypic. Taxonomy according to Clements: All New World Pigeons in the genus Columba should now be changed to Patagioenas. The following species are affected: White-crowned Pigeon Patagioenas leucocephala; Scaly-naped Pigeon Patagioenas squamosa; Scaled Pigeon Patagioenas speciosa; Picazuro Pigeon Patagioenas picazuro; Bare-eyed Pigeon Patagioenas corensis; Spot-winged Pigeon Patagioenas maculosa; Band-tailed Pigeon Patagioenas fasciata; Chilean Pigeon Patagioenas araucana; Ring-tailed Pigeon Patagioenas caribaea; Pale-vented Pigeon Patagioenas cayennensis; Red-billed Pigeon Patagioenas flavirostris; Peruvian Pigeon Patagioenas oenops; Plain Pigeon Patagioenas inornata; Plumbeous Pigeon Patagioenas plumbea; Short-billed Pigeon Patagioenas nigrirostris; Ruddy Pigeon Patagioenas subvinacea and Dusky Pigeon Patagioenas goodsoni. Banks, Richard C., Carla Cicero, Jon L. Dunn, Andrew W. Kratter, Pamela C. Rasmussen, J. V. Remsen, Jr., James D. Rising and Douglas F. Stotz. 2003. Forty-fourth supplement to the American Ornithologists Union Check-list of North American birds. The Auk 120 (3): 923-931.
Habitat
Habitat is forests, often montane, but in some islands also occur in villages (from Raffaele et al.) Here on Dominica reasonably common, and occur in the village where I live. Originally posted by njlarsen
