The bare-eyed pigeon is a species of bird in the family Columbidae. It is found in Colombia, Venezuela, and the Netherlands Antilles.
Region
Northern South America and the southern Caribbean
Typical Environment
Occurs in arid and semi-arid lowlands of northern Colombia and coastal Venezuela, including the Guajira and Paraguaná peninsulas. It is also present on offshore islands such as Aruba, Curaçao, and Bonaire (the former Netherlands Antilles), and locally on other nearby islets. Habitats include thorn-scrub, dry woodland with cacti and acacias, coastal dunes, and open scrubby farmland. It uses scattered trees and shrubs for roosting and nesting and readily visits water sources in otherwise dry landscapes.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 600 m
Climate Zone
Arid
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 2/5
Named for its conspicuously wide ring of bare, pale-yellow skin around the eye, this pigeon favors dry coastal thorn-scrub. It often congregates at watering holes in the early morning and late afternoon. On arid islands it is a key seed disperser for native shrubs and cacti, but it is sensitive to hunting and habitat degradation.
Temperament
wary and alert
Flight Pattern
strong, direct flight with rapid wingbeats
Social Behavior
Usually seen singly, in pairs, or small loose groups; larger flocks may form at favored water sources. Forms monogamous pairs during the breeding season. Nests are flimsy platforms placed in shrubs, trees, or sometimes cacti, where the pair shares incubation and chick-rearing duties.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Voice is a series of low, muffled coos delivered in measured rhythm. Calls often carry at dawn and dusk from shaded perches within thorn-scrub.
Plumage
Mostly plain brown to gray-brown above with a paler, slightly vinous-washed head and breast and a lighter belly; subtle iridescence on the neck in good light; tail shows a contrasting pale terminal band.
Diet
Feeds mainly on fruits and seeds, including those of cacti, acacias, and other thorn-scrub plants. It also takes small berries and fallen seeds on the ground. By consuming fleshy fruits, it helps disperse seeds across arid habitats.
Preferred Environment
Forages in dry scrub, open woodland edges, and along trails or clearings where seeds and fallen fruit accumulate. Regularly visits fruiting shrubs and cacti and descends to the ground to pick seeds.
