Elegant Crested-Tinamou
Eudromia elegans
Distinctive and striking tinamou, nearly endemic to Argentina, from northern Patagonia through the Monte desert region. Prefers open, rocky habitat. In the northern chaco replaced by similar Quebracho Crested-Tinamou. Often found by its three-part whistled song: a “twee-tyoo-too” similar to but less emphatic and more consistently pitched than Red-winged Tinamou.
Identification
The elegant-crested tinamou is a partridge-like shaped bird with rounded wings. The bird is an olive-brown color with the plumage being mainly black and white vermiculations. The bird has a long off-white stripe that starts above the eye and continues down the side of the neck. The beak is short, comes to a sharp upright point. The species legs and feet are short and strong, built for running. Both of those features have a whitish-grey coloring. The elegant-crested tinamou averages 39 to 41 cm (15–16 in) long. They can be found in flocks of about 5-10 birds, and are often detected by whistle calls.
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>Isidore Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire first identified the elegant crested tinamou from a specimen from South America, in 1832.<p>Source:
- Scientific name
- Eudromia elegans
- Authority
- Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, I, 1832
- Order
- Tinamiformes
- Family
- Tinamidae
- Genus
- Eudromia
Range and habitat
The elegant crested tinamou avoids tall and dense grasses and very thick stands of brush. Ideal environments include dry arid grasslands, open thicket, dry savanna, exposed hills with outlying patches of bushes, and cultivated farmlands. This bird is found in higher elevations(2,500 m (8,200 ft)) and found all the way down to sea level. They live throughout Argentina and Chile. In 1970, there was an attempted introduction of 89 birds near Benkelman, Nebraska, but it was unsuccessful.
- Migration
- Resident species
Behavior
The crested-tinamou is very terrestrial, it often runs and walks on the ground, unlike other birds. They spend the night at regular roost-sites. To clean, they perform regular dust-bathing in order to remove parasites from their plumage. In case of being hunted the birds are extremely wary. When one is alarmed they stand very tall to look for the source of danger then retreat to cover; they either hide behind vegetation or flatten themselves on the ground and bow their head down to feet level. The call they use is a loud sad whistle.
Conservation
Although this species is heavily hunted for food and sport, the elegant crested tinamou is not uncommon and has a large range of 1,400,000 km2 (540,000 sq mi). It is evaluated as Least Concern of the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Their predators include skunks, foxes, wild cats, and raptors, such as the red-backed hawk.
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
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Polioptila dumicola
Bold patterned gnatcatcher usually found in the canopy of savanna, open woodlands, and forest edges where it may join mixed-species flocks. Largely grayish overall with a white-edged black tail. Males have a black mask while females have a small black ear patch on a generally pale face. Males of the subspecies from Northwest Brazil are whiter below and grayish in other populations.
Pale-browed Tinamou
Crypturellus transfasciatus
Secretive chickenlike bird that walks on the ground inside forest. Very plump; looks tailless. A distinctive tinamou of dry forests, can even be detected as it noisily runs through dry leaf litter. Visually striking with bright coral-red legs and heavily barred back and wings (more prominent on females). Also note pale eyebrow. Otherwise grayish-brown overall. Fairly common within limited range in southwestern Ecuador and northwestern Peru. Occurs in dry scrubby forests and second-growth, usually with fairly thick understory. More often heard than seen; listen for its explosive rising whistle.
Black-faced Cormorant
Phalacrocorax fuscescens
Large black and white cormorant with dark face, white flanks, and black "trousers." Very similar to Pied Cormorant; note present species' black lores and chin. Almost exclusively found in marine environments, and unlikely to be seen away from the ocean.
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