Rusty Tinamou
Crypturellus brevirostris
Small tinamou, barred cinnamon and black above, rusty below, with a pale belly. Found mostly in seasonally flooded forest, but also recorded in upland forest, where it forages on the ground. The song is a series of musical whistles, starting slowly and accelerating towards the end.
Identification
The rusty tinamou is 27 to 29 cm (10.6–11.4 in) in length. Its upper parts are rufous boldly barred with black, its throat is white, its breast is bright rufous, its belly is white, and its flanks are barred black. Its crown is chestnut in color with legs that are yellowish-grey.
Taxonomy
The rusty tinamou is a monotypic species. 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.
- Scientific name
- Crypturellus brevirostris
- Authority
- (Pelzeln, 1863)
- Order
- Tinamiformes
- Family
- Tinamidae
- Genus
- Crypturellus
Range and habitat
It is found in tropical swamp forests and lowland forests, up to 500 m (1,600 ft) altitude. This species is native to northeastern and northwestern Brazil, French Guiana, and eastern Peru in South America.
- Migration
- Resident species
Behavior
Like other tinamous, the rusty 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
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Blue-cheeked Jacamar
Galbula cyanicollis
Distinctive, oddly proportioned bird, with a small head and long needle-like bill. Green above and rusty below, with blue cheeks. The amount of black on the yellow bill is variable. Usually seen sitting quietly in the lower levels of humid forest and sometimes seasonally flooded forests, where it captures prey by flycatching. Sings a high-pitched “peea peea-pee-pee-te-t-t-e’e’e’e’e’e” that accelerates gradually and ends with a rattling trill.
Elf Owl
Micrathene whitneyi
One of the smallest owls in the world, about the size of a sparrow. Patterned with rufous, gray, and white. Most similar in plumage to Flammulated Owl, but note the Elf Owl's white eyebrows, yellow eyes, tiny size, and habitat. Found in brushy woodlands and surrounding desert, where they nest in natural cavities or abandoned woodpecker holes in trees and cacti. Nocturnal; most easily found by listening for call around dusk: a descending whiny chuckle or single mewing note. Migrates south to Mexico for the winter.
Black-capped Woodland-Warbler
Phylloscopus herberti
A small, active warbler that can be found around the forest edge and inside the forest itself. Entirely restricted to the wet highland forests of Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, and Nigeria, where it can be locally common. Gray below and green above with a black cap and a distinct buffy throat and face bisected by a black eye-line. Can be confused with other small warblers, especially migrant warblers from Europe, but note Black-capped Woodland-Warbler’s distinct facial pattern and localized distribution. Song is a rapid, high-pitched jumble of notes, usually delivered over the space of about half a second.
Start Your Bird Watching Journey
Identify a bird outdoors and keep the field guide close for your next observation.