Taczanowski's Tinamou

Taczanowski's Tinamou
Conservation status
Vulnerable (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Tinamiformes
Family:	Tinamidae
Subfamily:	Nothurinae
Genus:	Nothoprocta
Species:	N. taczanowskii
Binomial name
Nothoprocta taczanowskii (Sclater & Salvin, 1875)[2]

The Taczanowski's Tinamou, Nothoprocta taczanowskii, is a type of ground bird found in the eastern Andes in Peru; Junín, Cuzco, Apurímac, Ayacucho, and Puno Regions.^[3]

Taxonomy

This is a monotypic species.^[3] 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]

Etymology

Nothoprocta comes from two Greek words, nothos meaning spurious or counterfeit and prōktos meaning hindpart or tail. Experts are unsure, however, they believe that this refers to the hidden tail of this Genus behind body feathers. Also, taczanowskii is the Latin form of Władysław Taczanowski's name, used to commemorate him.^[5]

Description

Taczanowski's Tinamou is a dark, and finely-marked tinamou. Its head and neck are grey with blackish crown and face markings with a pale greyish buff throat. Its upper parts are dusky with thin, buff stripes and inconspicuous brown barring with black and buff mottling on its wing-coverts. It has tawny flight feathers, barred blackish. Its breast is grey with buffy spots bordered black. The rest of its under parts are buff, barred dusky with a long, blackish, curved bill. The young are generally richer in brown color. The average size of this Tinamou is 36 cm (14 in).^[6]

Behavior

The species has a loud, cackling cuyy-cuyy voice when flushed.^[6] It frequently feeds on tuber crops, especially potatoes. Eggs and chicks have been collected in April and May and October.^[6] The male incubates the eggs and raises the chicks. The nest is located on the ground.^[4]

Range

The Taczanowsi's Tinamou is found in the eastern Andes, or more precisely, (Cordillera Oriental) in Peru, from Junín to Puno.^[3] In Peru, there are records from several sites in Apurímac, Cuzco and Puno, but it has not been recorded in the Chincheros / Pampa Valley area, north-west Apurímac, since 1970. The Cordillera de Huanzo, southern Apurímac, has produced only one specimen (collected in 1977) and those from the northern Cordillera de Carabaya, Cuzco, were taken in 1871. It has been recorded from the Marainiyoc area, Junín, but there have probably not been any surveys since the last records in 1939. The species was recorded for the first time in Bolivia in 1999, when one male was collected and three to four juveniles observed in Apolobamba Integrated Management Natural Area, La Paz.^[1]

Habitat

Taczanowski's Tinamou inhabits high altitude grassland and shrubland at altitude 2,700–4,000 m (8,900–13,000 ft). It may also be found at pastureland and arable land.^[6]

Conservation

Taczanowski's Tinamou is currently listed as Vulnerable by the IUCN.^[1] Their survival is threatened by degrading of its habitats caused by human activities, such as frequent burning of grassland, and cutting, burning and livestock-grazing in high-altitude copses and shrubby patches. The species is also hunted by people for food.^[6]

There have been surveys of its high-altitude habitats, and measures have been proposed for their conservation such as regulate the use of fire, reintroduce old high-yielding agricultural techniques, restrict grazing, facilitate low-impact ecotourism and associated trades to generate income for the local people, encourage local people to take a leading role in land-use management and restoration schemes. It was also porposed to make social and political reforms to deal with existing land-right conflicts, and encourage sustainable use on a large-scale. The species has been protected in Ampay Forest National Sanctuary, and in Bolivian Apolobamba Integrated Management Natural Area.^[6]

There are less than 10,000 adult birds left in an occurrence range of 16,700 km² (6,400 sq mi).^[6]

Footnotes

1. ^ ^{a b c} BirdLife International (2008)
2. ^ Brands, S. (2008)
3. ^ ^{a b c} Clements, J. (2007)
4. ^ ^{a b} Davies, S. J. J. F. (2003)
5. ^ Gotch, A. F. (1995)
6. ^ ^{a b c d e f g} BirdLife International (2008)(a)

References

• BirdLife International (2008). Nothoprocta taczanowskii. In: IUCN 2008. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Downloaded on 11 Feb 2009.
• BirdLife International (2008(a)). "Taczanowski's Tinamou - BirdLife Species Factsheet". Data Zone. http://www.birdlife.org/datazone/species/index.html?action=SpcHTMDetails.asp&sid=43&m=0#. Retrieved 09 Feb 2009. 
• Brands, Sheila (Aug 14 2008). "Systema Naturae 2000 / Classification, Genus Nothoprocta". Project: The Taxonomicon. http://www.taxonomy.nl/Main/Classification/51364.htm. Retrieved Feb 11 2009. 
• Clements, James (2007). The Clements Checklist of the Birds of the World (6 ed.). Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press. ISBN 978 0 8014 4501 9. 
• Davies, S.J.J.F. (2003). "Tinamous". In Hutchins, Michael. Grzimek's Animal Life Encyclopedia. 8 Birds I Tinamous and Ratites to Hoatzins (2 ed.). Farmington Hills, MI: Gale Group. pp. 57–59. ISBN 0 7876 5784 0. 
• Gotch, A. F. (1995) [1979]. "Tinamous". Latin Names Explained. A Guide to the Scientific Classifications of Reptiles, Birds & Mammals. New York, NY: Facts on File. p. 183. ISBN 0 8160 3377 3.