| Solitary tinamou | |
|---|---|
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| At Intervales State Park, São Paulo, Brazil | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Infraclass: | Palaeognathae |
| Order: | Tinamiformes |
| Family: | Tinamidae |
| Genus: | Tinamus |
| Species: | T. solitarius |
| Binomial name | |
| Tinamus solitarius | |
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| Synonyms | |
Cryptura solitaria(Vieillot) Contents | |
The solitary tinamou (Tinamus solitarius) is a species of paleognath ground bird. This species is native to Atlantic forest of eastern Brazil.
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] Formerly, this bird was divided into two subspecies: T. s. pernambucensis in north-east Brazil (Pernambuco and Alagoas), and T. s. solitarius found in south-east Paraguay and extreme north-east Argentina. The former, however, turned out to be not distinct from the nominate but rather individual birds that showed a particular color morph which is now known to also occur elsewhere. [5] Notably, the hue of the back varies between olive and rusty, and the intensity of the lower neck's plumage color also varies. The black barring in these areas is more or less strong. pernambucensis refers to yellower birds with much barring, especially on the neck. [6]
The solitary tinamou is a large brownish tinamou heavily barred with black. Its neck, breast, and flanks are grey, and its belly is white. It has a dark brown crown and a white throat on its yellowish head and neck, which contrasts with a distinctive buff line on the side of the neck. It averages 45 cm (18 in) in length. [7]
It is found in southeastern Bahia, eastern Minas Gerais, Espírito Santo, Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, eastern Mato Grosso do Sul, Paraná, Santa Catarina, and northern Rio Grande do Sul states. It is also found in southeastern Paraguay and extreme north-east Argentina in Misiones province. [8] [9]
Like other tinamous, it lays oddly-shaped eggs with a glossy, colorful shell, [6] and it eats fruits, and seeds off the ground or low plants. Males will incubate the eggs which are in a nest on the ground, and will also rear the young for the short period of time before they are independent. [4]
The solitary tinamou is found in lowland humid tropical forest and montane forests up to 1,200 m (3,900 ft) ASL. [8] It readily inhabits secondary forest and can be not uncommon in extensively used plots, tolerating selective logging to some degree. Large plantations of exotic species are not well-liked. But the birds can be plentiful enough to withstand some hunting for example in a mosaic of cabruca smallholder plantings, interspersed with secondary growth with dense caeté Marantaceae and Merostachys bamboo understorey as well as higher Guadua bamboo and full-grown heart-of-palm trees ( Euterpe edulis ). In little-disturbed Dense Ombrophyllous Montane Forest ecotone, thriving populations may exist in forest fragments as small as 1,000 acres (400 ha). [10]
It is currently threatened by the ongoing deforestation caused by urbanisation, industrialisation, agricultural expansion, and associated road-building. It is also hunted excessively. Consequently, the IUCN classifies it as a Near Threatened species, [1] it may soon become vulnerable [8] with a range occurrence of 990,000 km2 (380,000 sq mi). [11] The population formerly believed to be referred to by pernambucensis is either very rare or already extirpated. These northern birds have always been fairly rare in historical times, with possibly not more than 6 specimens in museums. [12]
It has been noted that this species is not hard to introduce to suitable habitat. Solitary tinamous were found to persist in numbers in a forest fragment of 1,500 acres (610 ha) where they were not originally found. [13] It is not considered globally threatened by the IUCN. [8]
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 white-throated tinamou is a species of bird native to the Amazon rainforest of Brazil, northern Bolivia, southeastern Colombia, northeastern Ecuador, eastern Peru and southern Venezuela.
The great tinamou is a species of tinamou ground bird native to Central and South America. There are several subspecies, mostly differentiated by their coloration.
The brown tinamou is a brownish ground bird found in humid lowland and montane forest in tropical and subtropical South America.
The yellow-legged tinamou is a species of tinamou found in wooded and shrubby habitats in tropical and subtropical eastern Brazil. This superficially quail-like bird has a grey-brown plumage and two easily separated subspecies. It has declined due to human activities, and is therefore listed as Near Threatened by the IUCN.
The grey tinamou is a type of ground bird native to South America. Four subspecies are recognised.
The black tinamou is a species of ground bird found in humid foothill and montane forest in the Andes of South America.
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 tawny-breasted tinamou is a type of ground bird found in montane moist forest. Their range is northwestern South America.
Berlepsch's tinamou is a type of ground bird found in moist forest in northwestern Colombia and northwestern Ecuador.
The cinereous tinamou, also known as brushland tinamou, is a type of ground bird found in swamp and lowland forests in northern South America. They have some localized names that have been used by the indigenous people such as in Amazonas where they are called inambu-pixuna, and in Pará, Brazil where they are called nambu-sujo. Also, throughout their range they are called inhambu-preto. Cinereous tinamous have been around for many centuries. They are part of the oldest families of the world today and have fossils discovered dating back tens of millions of years. Their quick reflexes play a role in their ability to survive.
The tepui tinamou is a type of ground bird found in montane moist forest on tepuis, in southeastern Venezuela.
The undulated tinamou is a species of ground bird found in a wide range of wooded habitats in eastern and northern South America.
The grey-legged tinamou, alternatively, the gray-legged tinamou, is a small ground-dwelling bird endemic to the neotropics. It is a rarely seen bird due to its small size and discreet appearance.
The Choco tinamou or Chocó tinamou is a type of tinamou found in lowland forest and montane forest in subtropical and tropical regions of Colombia and Panama.
The barred tinamou is a type of tinamou commonly found in lowland moist forest in subtropical and tropical regions of northern South America.
The Tataupa tinamou is a type of tinamou commonly found in dry forest in subtropical and tropical regions in southeastern 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.
Tinaminae, the forest tinamous, is one of two subfamilies of the family Tinamidae, the other being Nothurinae.
