ID Keys: Dark gray overall, reddish-brown head, neck, and breast.
Yellowish outer eye ring, red inner eye ring.
The
Scaly-naped Pigeon is a large, dark pigeon of tropical woodlands in the
Caribbean. It is only an extremely rare straggler to the United States, with
a handful of sightings in Florida. It is found throughout most islands
in the Caribbean, except for Jamaica and in the Bahamas. An easily
identified species with it's dark, wine-colored head and neck, it is often
locally called the "Red-necked Pigeon".
Habitat
Found in a variety of forested habitats.
While they can be found along forest edges and near forest clearings, they
are most likely to be found in intact lowland and montane forests. They can
also sometimes be found in and around suburban areas.
Diet
Feeds heavily on vegetative matter such as
seeds, fruits, and leaf buds, but will also feed on animal matter,
particularly small snails and other invertebrates.
Behavior
Arboreal, feeding in forested canopies,
but they will also feed on the ground. They are only occasionally
gregarious, as they are most often found alone or in small groups.
They will sometimes associate with other tropical doves such as
Zenaida Dove.
Nesting
The nest is a loose platform of sticks,
usually constructed on a tree limb, but also sometimes in a dense shrub or
less often, on the ground. The female lays 1 or 2 eggs, with the young
hatching after about 2 weeks. Young fledge after 3 weeks.
Song
The song is a series of four slow notes,
with a prolonged last note, as in woo-hoo-hoo-HOOOOooooo.
Migration
Considered a permanent resident
throughout its range. However, any migration is poorly understood, and
the rare occurrence of the species in Florida suggests that some movements
may occur.
Broad-scale forest cutting in
the Caribbean has undoubtedly had a negative impact on the species. They are
also a popular game bird and hunting can have strong impacts on local
populations. However, overall they cover a wide geographic range and
have a large population.
The IUCN lists the
Scaly-naped Pigeon as a species of "Least Concern".
Photo Information
Photo taken in June 2015 - St.
John's Island, U.S. Virgin Islands - Terry Sohl
