The absence of neck feathers is not a total one. If you look closely you will see the feather follicles are functional and they are easily observed after each molt; and for each follicle there is a feathers rachis. At some point during development the feather's normal growth stops, atrophies (undergoes a degeneration) and falls off.
Youtube video:
gat golas
It's not the same as naked neck in chickens which is result of feather tract growth "arrest" in the embryos. On chicken embryos, feather follicles start to appear in specific regions and spread out to meet other tracts. This is stopped part way in the growing embryo. This is why naked necks have a pretty consistent pattern, all the feather tracts present are the "first" regions to develop them and all the naked regions are "in middle or last" areas to develop follicles. So unlike on the pigeon necks, the naked areas on NN chickens are truly naked, not even any follicles present.
There is also another naked neck pigeon breed- Spanish naked necks. From what I remember, they have the same thing as Romanian ones. Also a mutant where the pigeons are completely naked, not a single feather anywhere. Those apparently were weak and needed much care and heated accommodations and may be extinct now.
How about naked neck pouters? Wouldn't that be quite a sight?
There's a naked neck mutant in domestic ducks- the French Cou Nu
Adult pair
Adult male
Duckling
White duckling
There was an page with some history and information on canards cou nu en Anglais but can't find it any more.. from memory, it may be dominant.. the first pair failed to be fertile, however they got around it by outcrossing them with other ducks. They cannot fly, due to wings being affected along the tail too.
I swore to never have water fowl ever again. Those Cou Nus are the only one that will change my mind. Especially if someone puts a basket full of cou nu ducklings in front of me.... Fortunately(?) they appear to be found only in France so far.
I wonder..... can they swim?
