Anguilla Backyard Birding Part 10
A Rare Visitor - The Scaly-naped Pigeon
September 1, 2023, I rose early with a plan to capture the waning Super Moon setting in the West. While the moon was still quite beautiful in a clear blue sky, a White-crowned Pigeon and its companion settling in the branches of a tree caught my eye.
My first thought was a juvenile White-crowned Pigeon accompanied by an adult bird. However, it was much bigger than the White-crowned.
On closer inspection, it was a Scaly-naped Pigeon!
Long considered a rare visitor to Anguilla, this species is found in the Caribbean (except Jamaica and the Bahamas) and the northern tip of South America. The literature tells us that there was one record of a bird in March 1995 on the grounds of the Mallihouana Hotel.
From personal experience, I saw this species regularly around Road Salt Pond. They preferred the protected mangrove at the eastern end of the pond and were often seen with White-crowned Pigeons around the hydroponic lettuce farm.
Birds of the World provides us with the following description of this distinctive bird:
Field Identification
Male 32·5–41 cm, female 34–39 cm; 250–360 g (1). A slate-colouredvideo pigeon, darker on primariesphoto and tail, paler below; headphoto , upper neck and breast suffused with drab purple; nape purple-brown forming a shield or patch; hindneckphoto metallic purplish changing to green or violet, these feathers with dark brown edges producing a scaly effect; iris is a ring of yellow bordered by a ring of scarlet; orbital skinvideo red; billphoto red, white or yellowish at tip; legs red. Female similar to male but duller. Juvenile has feathers fringed with buff; purple and wine red areas of adult are reddish brown, while grey areas are replaced with brownish slate.
Because these species are often elusive, it is helpful to be aware of the bird’s vocalizations - Scaly-naped Pigeon Call, and distinguish it from its companion species, the White-crowned Pigeon Call.
Note: Click the “Listen” pane in the bottom right corner of the species header.
Hurricane Irma on September 6, 2017, altered the presence of this bird on Anguilla. Shortly after the storm, two birds were regular visitors to the yard. I would often see them flying between here and Shoal Bay East. They were most likely in search of food.
The northeast portion of Anguilla incurred less damage than other areas. Some native vegetation remained, providing berries, succulent leaves, and palm seeds. These are staples of the Scaly-naped Pigeon diet.
The above photograph, taken in November of 2017, was the last time the Scaly-naped Pigeon was seen in my yard.
Other than a fleeting look at this bird in July of 2023 in Caul’s Pond, this is the first sustained visit by this rare visitor in six years. While I will be focusing this week on shorebirds as part of the 2023 Global Shorebird Count, it was a treat to spend time with this species after a long absence!
Yes, isn’t it something? Hopefully I will see a bit more of this one in the coming weeks. Thank you, Janice!
The markings on this pigeon are quite distinct. Thank you for sharing this uniquely marked pigeon. And welcome back to Anguilla.