Quebracho crested tinamou | |
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In Boquerón, Paraguay | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Aves |
Infraclass: | Palaeognathae |
Order: | Tinamiformes |
Family: | Tinamidae |
Genus: | Eudromia |
Species: | E. formosa |
Binomial name | |
Eudromia formosa | |
Subspecies | |
Synonyms | |
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The quebracho crested tinamou (Eudromia formosa) is a species of tinamou found in dry forest habitats [3] in Paraguay and northern Argentina in South America. [4]
Eudromia comes from two Greek words, eu meaning well or nicely, and dromos meaning a running escape. These definitions together mean, nice running escape, which refers to their habit of escaping predators by running. [5] 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. [6]
There are two subspecies of this tinamou:
The quebracho crested tinamou is approximately 39 cm (15 in) in length. Its upper parts are greyish-brown to blackish with a few scattered small white spots. Its lower parts are pale buffish to whitish and heavily barred with black. Its head has a black crest that is long, thin, and straight. It has a dusky stripe behind eye, bordered above and below by white stripes.
The quebracho crested tinamou is found in dry forests up to 500 m (1,600 ft). [3] It is also found in dry savanna. [1] Its range is northern Argentina and Paraguay. [4]
Like other tinamous, the quebracho crested tinamou 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 as many as 4 different females, and then will raise them until they are ready to be on their own, usually 2–3 weeks. The nest is located on the ground in dense brush or between raised root buttresses. [6]
The IUCN list this species as least concern, [1] with an occurrence range of 290,000 km2 (110,000 sq mi). [3]
Tinamous are members of the order Tinamiformes, and family Tinamidae, divided into 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 are the only living group of palaeognaths able to fly, and were traditionally regarded as the sister group of the flightless ratites, but recent work places them well within the ratite radiation as most closely related to the extinct moa of New Zealand, implying flightlessness emerged among ratites multiple times. 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 elegant crested tinamou or martineta tinamou is a medium-sized tinamou that can be found in southern Chile and Argentina in Shrubland. The bird has an omnivorous diet. This species is terrestrial due to their poor flying ability.
The red-legged tinamou or red-footed tinamou, is a ground-dwelling bird found in the tropics and lower subtropics of northern South America.
The pale-browed tinamou is a type of tinamou found in tropical dry forests in Peru and Ecuador.
The thicket tinamou or rufescent tinamou is a type of tinamou commonly found in moist forests in subtropical and tropical central Mexico.
The rusty tinamou or short-billed tinamou is a type of tinamou commonly found in swamp forest in tropical regions of South America.
The small-billed tinamou is a type of Tinamou commonly found in dry savanna in Amazonian South America.
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 Chilean tinamou is a type of tinamou commonly found in high elevation shrubland in subtropical regions of central Chile.
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 dwarf tinamou, also known as the least tinamou, is a small, superficially partridge-like bird with short tail and wings, found only in Brazil. This tinamou is the only member of the genus Taoniscus and it is considered an endangered species.
The spotted nothura is a species of tinamou. This bird is native to grassy habitats in eastern and southern Brazil, Paraguay,Bolivia, Uruguay, and eastern and northern Argentina.
The huayco tinamou, also known as waypu (Quechua), is a species of bird found on grassy mountain ridges in the Andes of Bolivia and Argentina.
Eudromia is a genus of birds in the tinamou family. This genus comprises two crested members of this South American family.