The Ruddy Pigeon is distributed throughout most of the Amazon and Orinoco Basins and along the Pacific coast from Colombia to Ecuador with a disjunct population in Costa Rica. See the distribution map at Birdlife International. It is usually in the canopy and normally quite difficult to see.

It is classified as Vulnerable on account of the threat to its Amazon habitat.

It is very similar to Plumbeous Pigeon P. plumbea but has a red rather than pale iris. There are 8 sub-species of which two are found in Ecuador and illustrated here. Photo 1 shows the sub-species P. s. ogilviegranti from eastern Ecuador which is slightly darker in general with darker bronzy wings. Photo 2 from the west of the Andes is the sub-species P. s. berlepschi which is paler and more uniform in colour.

It is easiest to distinguish Ruddy Pigeon from other pigeons by its voice which can be rendered "hit-the-foul-pole".