Chilean Tinamou
Nothoprocta perdicaria
Cryptically plumaged chickenlike bird of matorral shrubland, open scrub, and farmland; endemic to central Chile. Found as singles or small groups; most often seen along roadsides early and late in the day. Usually runs away, but if disturbed will flush explosively from underfoot with shrieking whistles. The only tinamou in its range, but compare with distinctively patterned California Quail, which often occurs in same areas. Song is a short, abrupt whistle; given irregularly and hard to trace.
Identification
The Chilean tinamou is approximately 29 cm (11 in) in length. It is almost tail-less and is stocky in shape. It has a bill that is curved and similar to the California quail. It has thick, short, pale, yellowish legs. It generally walks upright and has "short tail and tail coverts drooping behind legs." The pattern on its upper body looks striped, but is more complex in detail. It has a buffy face with a dark eyeline that is drooping and a small strip on its cheek, with a lighter colored crown. Its neck is brown and its lower neck has dark spots. It has a complex patterns that streak on the side of the chest, which is grey. The Chilean tinamou, just south of the Maule Region, has a brownish chest instead of a grey chest and more and reddish brown stripes on its upper body and buttocks. For both regions, it has large wings that cover the body when on ground, and when flying the wings appear large and reddish brown underneath. The wings are also rounded.<p>It has a loud stride whistle that sounds double-syllabled and sounds like "sweee weee." When under stress, it releases a lowering series of whistles that sounds like "swee wee wee wee" along with fast-paced wing sounds.
Taxonomy
All tinamous are from the family Tinamidae; in the larger scheme, they are also ratites (i.e., birds without a keel on their sternum bone), together with the South American rhea (Rhea), the cassowary (Casuarius), emu (Dromaius), ostrich (Struthio) and the kiwis (order Apterygiformes) as close, if not distant, relatives. However, unlike these terrestrial ratites, tinamou can still fly, albeit not for any sustained period or very effectively. Still, all currently extant ratite species evolved from ancient flying birds, with tinamou representing the closest living connections to these species. Additionally, the tinamou are closely aligned with the extinct giant moa (Dinornis) of New Zealand. <p>Crypturellus is formed from three Latin or Greek words: kruptos (meaning covered or hidden), oura (meaning tail) and ellus (meaning diminutive). Therefore, Crypturellus translates loosely to "small, hidden tail".<p>The Chilean tinamou has two subspecies, as follows:
- Scientific name
- Nothoprocta perdicaria
- Authority
- (Kittlitz, 1830)
- Order
- Tinamiformes
- Family
- Tinamidae
- Genus
- Nothoprocta
Range and habitat
The Chilean tinamou can be found in the high elevation shrubland at 400 to 2,000 m (1,300–6,600 ft) elevation. This species is native to all of Chile except southern Los Lagos, Tarapacá, Antofagasta, Aisén, and Magallanes y Antarctica Chilena. This tinamou can also be found in arid mountain forests in association with such trees as Acacia caven, Porlieria chilensis and the endangered Jubaea chilensis. It has been introduced to Easter Island.
- Migration
- Resident species
Behavior
The females lay 10-12 glossy eggs in a scrape. The male incubates the eggs and raises the chicks. The eggs are covered with feathers when left unattended. Incubation is around 21 days. The chicks are buff with dark stripes, and run soon after hatching and fly when half-grown. Later in life blue or gray spots may appear.
Conservation
The IUCN classifies the Chilean tinamou as Least Concern, with an occurrence range of 120,000 km2 (46,000 sq mi).
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Chestnut-banded Plover
Anarhynchus pallidus
Small, beautiful, pale-gray plover. Adults show a diagnostic chestnut band across the chest. Immatures are very plain but show a gray chest band. Found mainly on manmade saltpans and natural alkaline lakes, both along the coast and inland. Sometimes occurs in other coastal wetlands but virtually never on fresh water. Call is a quiet “peep”. Immatures can be confused with immature White-fronted Plover but normally show a blurry gray chest band and are colder gray on the back.
Smoky-fronted Tody-Flycatcher
Poecilotriccus fumifrons
A tiny, inconspicuous flycatcher that is best told by combination of small size, relatively large bill, and dense scrub habitat. If seen well, note pale buffy spectacles and yellowish wing bars. Almost always heard before seen. Occurs in dense thickets and scrub, particularly in areas with sandy soils; may be found more generally in forest edge and disturbed habitats within its limited range, where it is uncommon but probably overlooked. Voice is a stuttering purr with a distinctive hollow quality, similar to other Poecilotriccus. Told from Slate-headed Tody-Flycatcher by much duller plumage.
Lesser Crested Tern
Thalasseus bengalensis
Elegant medium-sized tern with a slender yellow-orange bill and black crown. Can be confused with Great Crested Tern; note proportionally longer, more orangey bill on Lesser Crested. Also note gray upperwing, which separates it from Sandwich Tern. Gray rump and tail are diagnostic if seen well. On juveniles, note dull legs, secondaries with dark centers, and a weakly patterned upperwing. Strictly coastal, usually found on beaches and estuaries. Call a noisy “kerrrick.”
Start Your Bird Watching Journey
Identify a bird outdoors and keep the field guide close for your next observation.