Red-winged Tinamou
Rhynchotus rufescens
Distinctive tinamou with a densely barred body, orangish neck, and dark brown crown that can be raised. Rarely flies, but when it does, flight is short and lumbering on distinctive rusty wings. Inhabits wet grasslands, savannas, and pastures where it is heavily hunted, and thus very shy. The song is a descending repetitive “tchirip, ju ju ju,” which can be heard all day.
Taxonomy
All tinamou are from the family Tinamidae, and in the larger scheme are also ratites. Unlike other ratites, tinamous can fly, although in general, they are not strong fliers. All ratites evolved from prehistoric flying birds, and tinamous are the closest living relative of these birds.<p>Coenraad Jacob Temminck first identified the red-winged tinamou from a specimen from São Paulo state, Brazil, in 1815.<p>The red-winged tinamou has three subspecies:<p>Previously, the taxon maculicollis was considered a subspecies of the red-winged tinamou, but following SACC it is now considered a species in its own right; the huayco tinamou.
- Scientific name
- Rhynchotus rufescens
- Authority
- (Temminck, 1815)
- Order
- Tinamiformes
- Family
- Tinamidae
- Genus
- Rhynchotus
Range and habitat
Its range is southeastern, northeastern and central Brazil, eastern Paraguay, southeastern Peru, Bolivia and eastern Argentina<p>At lower elevations (1,000 m (3,300 ft)), it favours marshy grasslands (seasonally flooded) and forest edges. While, at higher elevations, up to 2,500 m (8,200 ft), it will frequent arid shrubland, pastures, and grain fields. Overall it prefers dry savanna.
- Migration
- Resident species
Behavior
The red-winged tinamou have vocal males that are a longs ringing single whistle followed by shorter sad whistles. The female does not call. This species is most active during the hottest parts of the day.<p>Its diet varies by season; it taking insects and other small animals (even small mammals) in the summer, and switching to vegetable matter, such as fruits, shoots, tubers and bulbs, in the winter. It can be an agricultural pest, feeding on cereals, rice and peanuts, as well as being predatory, taking poisonous snakes and even jumping up into the air to snatch an insect off a leaf.<p>The male of the species attracts the female by follow feeding and after the attraction will move to the nest where she lays her eggs that he will incubate only and then raise the chicks.
Conservation
Like all tinamous, the red-winged tinamou is a popular target for hunters, and in areas of high human population density number have declined, but the species has also increased in some areas where forest clearance has created favourable habitat. Overall, it is not considered threatened and is therefore listed as Least Concern by IUCN. It has an occurrence range of 5,700,000 km2 (2,200,000 sq mi).
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Buff-banded Tyrannulet
Mecocerculus hellmayri
Small flycatcher of the subcanopy of humid montane forest at middle elevation of the eastern slope of the Andes from NE Argentina to S Peru. More often heard than seen. Song two high, flat “see” notes, easily confused with Purple-throated Euphonia, but higher and thinner. Often in mixed species flocks. Note greenish wingbars, pale gray cap, and short tail.
Rose-headed Parakeet
Pyrrhura rhodocephala
Green parakeet with a long red tail, prominent white patch in wings, white eyering, and red ear patch and crown. Mostly seen in large flocks flying, eating fruits, or perching quietly in trees. Common in cloud forests and forest edges. Voice similar to related species. Similar in flight to Red-eared Parakeet but shows white wing patch and red crown, and almost no range overlap. Endemic to the Andes of Venezuela.
Black Storm-Petrel
Hydrobates melania
Large, dark, angular storm-petrel with a deeply notched tail. Looks long-necked and large-billed. Paler brown upperwing band is usually rather faint and does not reach the leading edge of the wing. Typical flight style is smooth and powerful with deep wingbeats. Uncommon from central California to Peru, often in mixed flocks with other species of storm-petrel. Compare with dark-rumped Leach's and Ashy Storm-Petrels, but note flight style, overall shape, and large bill. Also very similar to Markham's Storm-Petrel, which overlaps offshore Middle and South America. Black is bulkier and larger-billed, with a duller upperwing band, and is usually found closer to shore than Markham's.
Start Your Bird Watching Journey
Identify a bird outdoors and keep the field guide close for your next observation.