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Grey Tinamou

Birds

By MBPublished 4 years ago 3 min read
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The black tinamou (Tinamus tao) is a type of ground pigeon native to South America. There are four recognised subspecies. Both tinamou are of the family Tinamidae and also ratites are included in the broader scheme. Both ratites probably evolved from ancient flying birds, and tinamous are the nearest surviving relatives of these birds. The Black Tinamou is a woodland plant in northern South America with dense tropical and subtropical rainforest. The quiet bird's heard more frequently than there. It usually attempts to avoid detection by going quietly ahead, but if it's surprised, a loud roar of wings will flush it. During the breeding season the sex role is reversed, and the male performs the nesting duties while the female mates again with other males. In certain parts of the region, the Grey Tinamou is vulnerable to habitat destruction due to deforestation, degradation, and invasion and poaching occurs. The species is rare, and decreases in population. With a total length of 46 cm it is among the largest tinamous. This is mostly grey as the name indicates. The back and the head are painted blackish, and cinnamon is their fan. The white branding spreads across the back and down the neck. The black tinamou is found in western and northern Brazil, east Ecuador, east Peru, Colombia east of the Andes, northern Venezuela, northern Bolivia and Guyana. This is mainly limited in much of its range to tropical lowland forests, but occurs also in montane forests in the northern and far-western parts of its distribution. This tinamou has shown the ability for mining deforested forests. Unlike any other tinamous, his music is commonly heard but it's silent and barely seen. As other tinamous, the male incubates the nest eggs which are concealed in a dense forest on the ground. The male will also collect them for a short period of time after incubation, until they are ready. We feed on the fruits and nuts from the forest, and low to the bushes in the field. This species was previously classified by the IUCN with a Least Concern status, and has an occurrence area of 3,600,000 km2. In 2012, it was uplisted to delicate. Widespread to 1900 m, mainly in lowlands, from northern Venezuela and northern Colombia, south to the Amazonian Brazil and Bolivia, this large tinamou is one of the best-recognized members of the Tinamus group. Gray Tinamou is usually very common, even in areas at serious risk of poaching, and inhabits extensive tropical and subtropical forests, as well as more locally occurring in savanna gallery forests. In comparison to a tinamous one, Gray Tinamou is heard much more frequently than seen. Both sexes sing, giving a short one-noted hooting sound that is repeated many times, sometimes for up to a few minutes at a time. Its dietary preferences are not well known, but all seeds, fruits, insects, and snails have been reported in the stomach contents. Nests are generally located inside the buttress roots of large trees, and clutch size is normally three eggs, but nests with up to nine eggs were recorded. Upon leaving the nest, both sexes incubate, and the male Gray Tinamou cover the eggs with leaves. One of the largest Tinamidae is the Black Tinamou. The nominated adult race has white to bluish-gray tops and upper-wing covers which are narrowly vermiculated and dark white bars. The pattern is less common on flight-feathers and ears, and somewhat browner-gray. Malar area on the underparts, chin, throat and upper neck are extensively mottled and striped grey and brown, with central white collar. The lower neck and most subparts, especially on the sides of the breast, are much more plain grey with darker dark vermiculations. The lower breast and belly show pale bluish to a lavender tinge. Thighs and rear belly are more ochraceous with dark markings, while undertail coverings are brilliant with white marks.

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About the Creator

MB

I am a bird aficionado and really enjoy spotting them them on hikes. I greatly appreciate the variety of birds cross North America and the world. They are amazing and intelligent creatures, each so unique and with a wonderful life.

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