The Scaled Pigeon is a beautiful bird, unusually looking when compared when other species. Most pigeons are rather uniform in color, however this species has a attention-grabbing scale pattern on the belly and throat, based on brown and white coloration. I have seen this species three times now. The first time, I was just walking  by Fincas Bambuzal, in Rio Frio, when one individual appeared in the bamboo. The second time, I spotted a bird against harsh light in Boca Tapada; it looked like a silhouette, but after inspecting the picture, it revealed the colors of this species. The last time I could see it on Christmas day in Buenos Aires, perched on small branch on my grandfather’s backyard.

This is the biggest pigeon species in Costa Rica. The scaled look in the throat and belly is very distinctive