Forest tinamu

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Forest tinamu
Systematics
Order : Cockles (tinamiformes)
Family : Cockroaches (Tinamidae)
Subfamily : Waldsteißhühner (Tinaminae)
Genre : Smooth Taos ( Crypturellus )
Type : Red-footed Sinamu ( Crypturellus erythropus )
Subspecies : Forest tinamu
Scientific name
Crypturellus erythropus saltuarius
Wetmore , 1950

The forest tinamu ( Crypturellus erythropus saltuarius ), also Magdalenatinamu , Magdalenentimamu or Magdalene cockatoo , is a rare or extinct species or subspecies of the cockchafer in South America . It occurs endemically in the Valle del Río Magdalena (the lowland through which the Río Magdalena flows) in Colombia . Since the description of the type specimen in 1943, there have been no confirmed sightings of the species. Only individual sightings from the 1970s, 1980s and 2008 make it appear possible that the species is still alive, even if only a few forest areas in the range are left in their natural state. One specimen was apparently held in captivity until the early 1990s.

The species is partially viewed as a separate species and partially as a subspecies of the red-footed tinamus . The South American Classification Committee (SACC) rejected the proposal to recognize the species because the data base is so far too thin for an investigation. BirdLife International follow this assessment; Due to this, the forest tinamu was removed from the red list of endangered species in 2008 .

features

The forest tinamu is very similar to the red-footed tinamu. It reaches lengths of 27 to 32 cm. The plumage is dark brown, the top is dark reddish with black blocking on the rump, and the wings are yellow-brown. The underside is slightly darker and the throat is white with a grayish tinge.

Specimens and habitat

The type specimen was collected in 1943 by Melbourne Armstrong Carriker in Ayacucho in the Departamento del Cesar and the second known specimen (which is lost) was collected in 1786 at Mariquita in the Departamento del Tolima . Both places are in the Valle del Río Magdalena. It is assumed that the species inhabited the more or less dry forests and savannas of the localities. There are still a few forests in the foothills of the western Cordillera Oriental and on the eastern slope of the Serranía de San Lucas . The specimens were caught at a height of 150  m or 500  m above sea level .

Status and protection

The species is threatened by hunting and deforestation . The habitat in the river valley of the Río Magdalena has undergone major changes since the middle of the 18th century and made arable land as pastureland and agricultural area, and in the 1960s and 1970s most of the remaining rainforests were completely destroyed by a government colonization and infrastructure development program. The alluvial soils of the valley are used today for intensive rice and cotton cultivation and the higher elevations as pastureland. As a result, only about 1–2% of the old secondary and primary forests are left. However, there is hope that the birds may have survived after all, as the species is very hidden anyway. The lack of evidence other than feathers was the main argument for the SACC 2006 not to recognize the bird's species status.

So far there are no protective measures, but search expeditions to San Calixto , Convención and the foothills of the Cordillera Oriental above Pailitas , in the eastern foothills of the Serranía de San Lucas, and to Pailitas and La Jagua de Ibirico have been suggested.

literature

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Alexander Wetmore: Additional Forms of Birds from Colombia and Panamá In: Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington. 63, 1950 pp. 171-174, biodiversitylibrary.org
  2. ↑ a b c d e T. Donegan & al. 2003.
  3. ↑ a b J. V. Remsen Jr. & al. 2006.
  4. ^ BirdLife International 2007.
  5. ^ BirdLife International 2008.