Scaly-naped Pigeon
Encyclopedia
The Scaly-naped Pigeon (Patagioenas squamosa), also known as the Red-necked Pigeon, is a bird
belonging to the family Columbidae. The species occurs throughout the Caribbean
.
around the neck. The plumage on the species' nape
appears scaly, explaining the both the common, and scientific name of the species. There is a bare patch of skin which surrounds the birds red eyes; this patch tends to be reddish in males and more yellow in females. The legs and the base of the bill
of the species are red, while the remainder of the bill is light coloured.
and Lesser Antilles
. The species tends to occur in rain forests, however it may also be found in drier lowland woodland
s; the species generally shuns areas of human
settlement.
constructed mostly in trees.
Bird
Birds are feathered, winged, bipedal, endothermic , egg-laying, vertebrate animals. Around 10,000 living species and 188 families makes them the most speciose class of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from...
belonging to the family Columbidae. The species occurs throughout the Caribbean
Caribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
.
Description
The scaly-naped pigeon is a large slate grey pigeon (14–16 in), with maroon coloured plumagePlumage
Plumage refers both to the layer of feathers that cover a bird and the pattern, colour, and arrangement of those feathers. The pattern and colours of plumage vary between species and subspecies and can also vary between different age classes, sexes, and season. Within species there can also be a...
around the neck. The plumage on the species' nape
Nape
The nape is the back of the neck. In technical anatomical/medical terminology, the nape is referred to by the word nucha, which also gives the adjective corresponding to "nape" in English, "nuchal"....
appears scaly, explaining the both the common, and scientific name of the species. There is a bare patch of skin which surrounds the birds red eyes; this patch tends to be reddish in males and more yellow in females. The legs and the base of the bill
Beak
The beak, bill or rostrum is an external anatomical structure of birds which is used for eating and for grooming, manipulating objects, killing prey, fighting, probing for food, courtship and feeding young...
of the species are red, while the remainder of the bill is light coloured.
Distribution and habitat
The range of the Scaly-naped Pigeon includes both the Greater AntillesGreater Antilles
The Greater Antilles are one of three island groups in the Caribbean. Comprising Cuba, Jamaica, Hispaniola , and Puerto Rico, the Greater Antilles constitute almost 90% of the land mass of the entire West Indies.-Greater Antilles in context :The islands of the Caribbean Sea, collectively known as...
and Lesser Antilles
Lesser Antilles
The Lesser Antilles are a long, partly volcanic island arc in the Western Hemisphere. Most of its islands form the eastern boundary of the Caribbean Sea with the Atlantic Ocean, with the remainder located in the southern Caribbean just north of South America...
. The species tends to occur in rain forests, however it may also be found in drier lowland woodland
Woodland
Ecologically, a woodland is a low-density forest forming open habitats with plenty of sunlight and limited shade. Woodlands may support an understory of shrubs and herbaceous plants including grasses. Woodland may form a transition to shrubland under drier conditions or during early stages of...
s; the species generally shuns areas of human
Human
Humans are the only living species in the Homo genus...
settlement.
Reproduction
The Scaly-naped Pigeon lays one to two eggs in a nestNest
A nest is a place of refuge to hold an animal's eggs or provide a place to live or raise offspring. They are usually made of some organic material such as twigs, grass, and leaves; or may simply be a depression in the ground, or a hole in a tree, rock or building...
constructed mostly in trees.
See also
- Fauna of Puerto RicoFauna of Puerto RicoThe fauna of Puerto Rico is similar to other island archipelago faunas, with high endemism, and low, skewed taxonomic diversity. Bats are the only extant native terrestrial mammals in Puerto Rico. All other terrestrial mammals in the area were introduced by humans, and include species such as cats,...
- List of Puerto Rican birds
- List of Vieques birds