Slaty-breasted Tinamou
Crypturellus boucardi
A furtive, almost tailless game bird that lives on the ground in humid tropical forest of lowlands and foothills. Rarely seen (sometimes crosses quiet roads or trails), but mournful drawn out song is often heard, especially early and late in the day. Plumage is dark overall with a grayish neck and breast; female has distinct barring on upperparts. Prefers humid forest, rather than drier habitats where Thicket Tinamou is found.
Identification
The slaty-breasted tinamou averages 27 cm (11 in) in length, and weighs about 470 g (1.04 lb). Its back and head are black to chestnut in color, brown on its wings, slaty grey on its breast, white on its throat, grey-brown on remainder of its underparts with darker barring on flanks and undertail. The female has barring on its wings. Its legs are pink to bright red, and its bill is dark above and yellow below.
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 slaty-breasted tinamou has two sub-species: <p>Philip Sclater identified the slaty-breasted tinamou from a specimen from Oaxaca, Mexico, in 1859.
- Scientific name
- Crypturellus boucardi
- Authority
- (Sclater, PL, 1860)
- Order
- Tinamiformes
- Family
- Tinamidae
- Genus
- Crypturellus
Range and habitat
It is commonly found in lowland moist forest in subtropical and tropical regions up to 1,800 m (5,900 ft) altitude. This species ranges along the Gulf of Mexico coast from southern Mexico, from southern Veracruz and northern Oaxaca south, to northern Costa Rica. Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Costa Rica.<p>It prefers thick evergreen forests with thick undergrowth, but also can be found in thick forests with little undergrowth, secondary forests, and on regenerating plantations. It likes moist areas as well.
- Migration
- Resident species
Behavior
Migration pattern: Resident species.
Conservation
Population trend: declining.
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Southern Variable Pitohui
Pitohui uropygialis
A fairly large bird of mainly secondary lowland and foothill forest edge. As the name suggests, a variably plumaged bird. Males mostly have a black hood, wing and tail with belly and back, chestnut or orange-brown. Males and females of some races have a brown head. Very similar to Hooded Pitohui, but Southern Variable is usually found at lower elevation and has black rather than brown above the base of the tail. Song, a varied, jumbled warble.
Violet-bellied Hummingbird
Chlorestes julie
Small hummingbird found from central Panama to southwestern Ecuador. Males are mostly emerald green with a contrasting purple belly. Females are green above with pale grayish underparts. Note relatively short, straight bill in both sexes. Relatively distinctive but could be confused with a woodnymph; look for smaller size and more compact shape with a straighter bill. Found in forests and edges, often feeding on small flowers at lower to middle levels. Visits feeders.
Caspian Gull
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Difficult to separate from Yellow-legged Gulls and Herring Gulls without a careful appraisal of plumage characters. Candidate birds may draw attention by slender-billed, long-legged, and slim appearance. Flattened crown, rather small dark eyes, and usually unstreaked head are also useful characters. Wingtip (primary) feathers in adults have long tongues of white that penetrate into the black tips. Juveniles have prominent pale underwings. Breeds and winters predominantly on inland water bodies with some movement toward coasts in winter.
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