Red-legged Tinamou
Crypturellus erythropus
Shy, fowl-like bird of open forest and scrubby areas; heard far more often than seen. Best identified by habitat and voice. Red legs are diagnostic. Forages alone or in pairs on ground in scrubby forests on sandy soils, walking slowly to pick up fruit, seeds and insects; does not gather in flocks. Haunting song is a slow, rising series of 2–3 notes; it is similar to that of Undulated Tinamou but typically has fewer notes and lacks a strongly upslurred final note.
Identification
The red-legged tinamou is superficially similar to a quail to which it is not related as it, along with other tinamous, belongs in the Paleognathae. Its total length is 27 to 32 cm (11–13 in). Its brownish upper parts and grey chest contrasts clearly with the buff belly. The back and wings are barred, but this is faint (often barely visible) in the males. Additionally, the amount of barring to the upperparts varies among the subspecies. It is the only tinamou in its range with rosy-red legs.
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>Red-legged tinamou subspecies are:<p>The taxonomy, beyond this, remains unclear, with some authorities considering the taxa saltuarius, idoneus, and columbianus as monotypic species rather than subspecies of the red-legged tinamou. The SACC rejected a proposal to elevate these to species status, arguing that the presently available data fail to support the split.<p>Additionally, several subspecies usually associated with the red-legged tinamou have been associated with other species in the past, especially the thicket tinamou, the Choco tinamou and the yellow-legged tinamou.
- Scientific name
- Crypturellus erythropus
- Authority
- (Pelzeln, 1863)
- Order
- Tinamiformes
- Family
- Tinamidae
- Genus
- Crypturellus
Range and habitat
The red-legged tinamou lives in Guyana, Suriname, Colombia, Venezuela and northeastern Brazil, and on Margarita Island. It may also be found in French Guiana. Its favored habitat is dry forest, although it can be found in moist forest and lower elevation shrubland and grasslands. It prefers elevations below 1,300 m (4,300 ft).
- Migration
- Resident species
Behavior
As other tinamous, it is recorded infrequently, except by its whistling voice. It has been recorded feeding on seeds, berries, snails, and insects. Little is known about its breeding behavior, but the glossy eggs are pale greyish-lavender with a variable amount of pink suffusion.
Conservation
The red-legged tinamou is uncommon to locally common in most of its range, but the Magdalena tinamou is very rare (perhaps extinct), while the Colombian tinamou is endangered. In both cases the main problem is habitat destruction, but hunting is another issue. The IUCN lists this bird as Least Concern, with an occurrence range of 1,800,000 km2 (690,000 sq mi).
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
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Typical gray cuckoo, indistinguishable from Himalayan Cuckoo in the field by plumage. Dark bands on the breast average broader in Oriental. Both also extremely similar to Common and Lesser cuckoos, but with buffy rather than white vent. Brownish-yellow iris readily distinguishes Oriental from the smaller, darker-eyed Lesser Cuckoo. Best identified by song, a mellow series of “boop-boop” notes, given in flight or from a high (often concealed) perch. When not singing, quiet and unobtrusive, foraging solitarily in upper and middle levels of boreal forest and mixed woodlands.
Guianan Tyrannulet
Zimmerius acer
Tiny, inconspicuous flycatcher; in addition to small size, note stubby bill, wing bars, and longish tail. Found in a variety of forest habitats including primary and secondary rainforest, low-stature forests with sandy soils, and along river edges. Often sits on leaf clusters at the ends of branches, sallying for insects; also feeds on fruit. Heard far more than seen. Most common call is a dry, two-noted hiccup that is easily overlooked; dawn song is a repeated, rising twitter.
Black-bellied Seedeater
Sporophila melanogaster
A distinctive, small finchlike species. Males are gray above and black below with black edges to the wing feathers. Females are olive-brown above and buff below. Both sexes have white wing spots. Inhabits mature grasslands, normally near water, where they can be seen in flocks with others seedeaters during migration.
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