Highland Tinamou
Nothocercus bonapartei
Rotund chickenlike bird, far more often heard than seen. Like a dove but body is even more circular and tail shorter. Most similar to Great Tinamou but generally found at higher elevations; also warmer rufous-brown below with small buffy spots on back and grayer head. Lives on the ground in montane forests. Shy and difficult to see; most often seen running away along a trail. Listen for series of repeated nasal call notes.
Identification
The highland tinamou averages 38.5 cm (15.2 in) long, and weighs 925 g (2.039 lb). Its plumage is mottled or barred with black and cinnamon on back and wings with a rufous throat.
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>It has five subspecies:<p>George Robert Gray identified the highland tinamou from a specimen from Aragua, Venezuela, in 1867.
- Scientific name
- Nothocercus bonapartei
- Authority
- (Gray, GR, 1867)
- Order
- Tinamiformes
- Family
- Tinamidae
- Genus
- Nothocercus
Range and habitat
The highland tinamou frequents montane forest above 1,500 m (4,900 ft), liking damp areas, especially bamboo thickets, and ravines. This tinamou is located in the Andes of Colombia, eastern Ecuador, northern Peru, western Venezuela, and the highlands of Costa Rica and western Panama.
- Migration
- Resident species
Behavior
The highland tinamou is a shy tinamou and usually solitary or in small groups of up to five. It likes to eat fruit from the ground or hanging from low plants, and will sometimes eat insects. Its call is a repetitive loud and hollow call by the male.<p>During breeding season, the male will incubate the eggs which may be from more than one female and may consist of 4-12 eggs. After hatching the male will also take care of the chicks.
Conservation
This species is listed by the IUCN as Least Concern, and even though it is hunted for food, its population seems to be stable. It has an occurrence range of 140,000 km2 (54,000 sq mi).
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
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Uncommon, medium-sized pheasant. Male is almost unbelievable-looking; an immense fan of a snow-white tail sticks out of a rotund, coal-black body. All-rufous-brown female is more normal-looking; her tail is shorter and narrower. Both sexes have sky-blue facial skin, but the male’s extends into wattles, which he erects during display. Found in hilly areas in foothill and montane forest; sometimes nomadic, seeking out fruiting trees.
New Britain Boobook
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A small brown owl confined to New Britain with a dark brown head, prominent white eyebrows and throat patch, and orange-yellow eyes. Broad brown chest band contrasts with pale mottled whitish underparts. Upperparts and wings dark chocolate brown with scattered white markings. Occurs in forest and in modified patches and clearings, in the lowlands and foothills. Distinctive: the only small brown owl on New Britain. Song is a distinctive, incessant series of “whoo” notes, rising in volume toward the end.
Junin Antpitta
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Medium-sized, plain antpitta found in a limited area of the eastern Andes in south central Peru. It is uniform brown lacking strong field marks, but the pale eyering helps separate it from the similar Oxapampa Antpitta. Range and voice are also very important for ID. Typical songs include a short “bit-burr” and a series of five or six grating whistles. Inhabits the understory of high elevation forest and is mostly terrestrial, but sometimes perches higher to sing. It was formerly considered a subspecies of what used to be called Rufous Antpitta.
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