Ruddy pigeon

The ruddy pigeon is a striking bird native to Central and South America, ranging from Costa Rica all the way to Ecuador, Bolivia, and Brazil. It belongs to the genus Patagioenas and the subgenus Oenoenas.

One of the first things you’ll notice about the ruddy pigeon is its beautiful, unpatterned wine-purple feathers. It also features a rufous-colored back, dark brown tail and flight feathers, a black bill, and purple-red legs. Females are typically a bit duller in color compared to males, while juveniles display greyish-brown plumage with cinnamon or rufous scaling.

The ruddy pigeon is known for its distinctive, loud, high-pitched cooing call, which includes pauses between each note. Interestingly, their vocalizations vary depending on their location. In Central America, they share their habitat with the short-billed pigeon, which is quite similar in appearance but can be distinguished by its different call.

These pigeons are usually found in highland forests, semi-open woodlands, and humid forests, where they forage for fruits and berries in the tree canopies. They are often seen in pairs. When it comes to nesting, they construct simple twig nests in small trees and typically lay a single white egg.

Unfortunately, the ruddy pigeon is facing threats from deforestation, leading to its classification as a Vulnerable species by the IUCN.