The Story
I photographed this Scaled Dove (Columbina squammata) at Hacienda La Cabaña, near Tauramena, Casanare, Colombia, in January 2020. The dark edges of its feathers give it a scaly look that works as camouflage. It shows white patches on the wing and white sides to the tail in flight. It usually walks in pairs or small groups along the edges of forest, savanna and orchards. It is normally quiet, apart from calls given from hidden perches and the noise its wings make when it takes off.
I made this frame with a Pentax K-1 and the HD Pentax-D FA 150-450mm f/4.5-5.6, at 1/1600 sec, f/5.6, ISO 800. For now, IUCN lists the Scaled Dove as Least Concern, and its population appears to be stable.
©2020 Adam Rainoff Photographer
The bird
The Scaled Dove (Columbina squammata) belongs to the family Columbidae (Pigeons and Doves) in the eBird/Clements taxonomy.
Source: eBird.org (opens in a new tab)
Conservation
Least Concern on the IUCN Red List (assessment published 2024), with the population trend listed as stable. Source: IUCN Red List