| Darwin's nothura | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Illustration by Joseph Smit, 1895 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Tinamiformes |
| Family: | Tinamidae |
| Genus: | Nothura |
| Species: | N. darwinii |
| Binomial name | |
| Nothura darwinii G. R. Gray, 1867 [2] | |
| Subspecies [2] | |
N. d. darwinii Contents | |
 | |
Darwin's nothura (Nothura darwinii) is a type of tinamou commonly found in high-altitude grassland in the southern Andes in South America. [3]
The name of the species is named after Charles Darwin, an eminent English naturalist, to commemorate him.
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. [4]
The Darwin's nothura is approximately 26 cm (10 in) in length. It is similar to spotted nothura but more rufous with broader streaking below. Its upper parts are brown and streaked with buff, its lower parts are streaked with chestnut and it is black on its breast Its flanks are barred, and its crown is black with buff streaks, and its throat is white.
Like other tinamous, the Darwin's nothura 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 different females, and then will raise them until they are ready to be on their own. The nest is located on the ground in dense brush or between raised root buttresses. [4]
The IUCN classifies this tinamou as Least Concern, [1] with an occurrence range of 1,100,000 km2 (420,000 sq mi). [5]
Tinamous form an order of birds, comprising a single family with two distinct subfamilies, containing 46 species found in Mexico, Central America, and South America. The word "tinamou" comes from the Galibi term for these birds, tinamu. Tinamous have traditionally been regarded as the sister group of the flightless ratites, but recent work places them well within the ratite radiation, implying basal ratites could fly. Tinamous first appear in the fossil record in the Miocene epoch. They are generally sedentary, ground-dwelling and, though not flightless, when possible avoid flight in favour of hiding or running away from danger. They are found in a variety of habitats, ranging from semi-arid alpine grasslands to tropical rainforests. The two subfamilies are broadly divided by habitat, with the Nothurinae referred to as steppe or open country tinamous, and the Tinaminae known as forest tinamous.
The red-winged tinamou is a medium-sized ground-living bird from central and eastern South America. Other common names for the species include perdiz grande, rufous tinamou, and ynambu.
The brown tinamou is a brownish ground bird found in humid lowland and montane forest in tropical and subtropical South America.
The Andean tinamou is a tinamou, found commonly in high-altitude shrubland, in the Andes of South America.
The puna tinamou also known as Pentland's tinamou, is a member of the most ancient groups of bird families, the tinamous. This species is native to southern South America. The binomial name of the species commemorates the Irish natural scientist Joseph Barclay Pentland (1797–1873) by Nicholas Aylward Vigors in 1837. The IUCN list this species as Least Concern, with an occurrence range of 590,000 km2 (230,000 sq mi).
The grey tinamou is a type of ground bird native to South America. Four subspecies are recognised.
The highland tinamou or Bonaparte's tinamou is a type of ground bird found in montane moist forest typically over 1,500 m (4,900 ft) altitude.
The hooded tinamou is a type of ground bird found in forests of Bolivia and Peru.
The undulated tinamou is a species of ground bird found in a wide range of wooded habitats in eastern and northern South America.
The black-capped tinamou is a type of tinamou commonly found in the moist forest lowlands in subtropical and tropical regions.
The Tataupa tinamou is a type of tinamou commonly found in dry forest in subtropical and tropical regions in southeastern South America.
Taczanowski's tinamou is a type of ground bird found in the eastern Andes in Peru in the Junín, Cuzco, Apurímac, Ayacucho, and Puno Regions.
The ornate tinamou is a type of tinamou commonly found in the high altitude grassland and dry shrubland in subtropical and tropical regions of west central South America.
The brushland tinamou is a type of Tinamou commonly found in high-altitude dry shrubland in subtropical and tropical regions of southern South America.
The curve-billed tinamou is a type of tinamou commonly found in high-altitude grassland and shrubland habitats in the Andes of South America.
The white-bellied nothura is a species of tinamou found in dry shrublands in northeastern Bolivia, western Paraguay, and northeastern Brazil.
The lesser nothura is a type of tinamou found in lowland dry grassland habitats in subtropical and tropical regions of southeastern South America.
The spotted nothura is a species of tinamou. This bird is native to grassy habitats in eastern and southern Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, and eastern and northern Argentina.
The quebracho crested tinamou is a species of tinamou found in dry forest habitats in Paraguay and northern Argentina in South America.
Nothura is a genus of birds in the tinamou family. This genus comprises five members of this South American family.
