Tataupa Tinamou
Crypturellus tataupa
Small tinamou with a red bill, purplish legs, purple back, gray head, and a black-and-white vent. Similar to Small-billed Tinamou, but the song starts with a fast trill “trri trri trri” and ends with a loud descending “trru trru trru.” Prefers moist forests including second growth and dense forest edges.
Identification
The tataupa tinamou is approximately 25 cm (9.8 in) in length. Its upper parts are dark brown, with a dark brown crown, a pale grey throat. It has darker grey on the sides of its head, neck, and breast, with a bu belly buff. Its bill and legs are purplish red.
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>The Tataupa tinamou has four subspecies as follows:
- Scientific name
- Crypturellus tataupa
- Authority
- (Temminck, 1815)
- Order
- Tinamiformes
- Family
- Tinamidae
- Genus
- Crypturellus
Range and habitat
The Tataupa tinamou prefers dry forest up to 1,400 m (4,600 ft) altitude. It may also be found in lowland moist forest and degraded former forest habitats. This species is native to northeastern Brazil, eastern Bolivia, northern Argentina, Paraguay and western Peru in South America. It also has been sighted in extreme southern Ecuador.
- Migration
- Resident species
Behavior
Like other tinamous, the tataupa tinamou eats fruit off the ground or low-lying bushes. They also eat small amounts of invertebrates, flower buds, tender leaves, seeds, and roots. The male incubates the eggs which may come from as many as 4 different females, and then will raise them until they are ready to be on their own, usually 2–3 weeks. The nest is located on the ground in dense brush or between raised root buttresses.
Conservation
The IUCN classifies this tinamou as Least Concern, with an occurrence range of 4,900,000 km2 (1,900,000 sq mi).
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
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