Bartlett's tinamou

Bartlett's tinamou
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Tinamiformes
Family:	Tinamidae
Subfamily:	Tinaminae
Genus:	Crypturellus
Species:	C. bartletti
Binomial name
Crypturellus bartletti Sclater & Salvin 1873
Synonyms
Crypturus bartletti

The Bartlett's tinamou (Crypturellus bartletti) is a type of tinamou commonly found in lowland forest in South America.

Taxonomy

The Bartlett's tinamou is a monotypic species. 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.

Etymology

Crypturellus is formed from three Latin or Greek words. kruptos meaning covered or hidden, oura meaning tail, and ellus meaning diminutive. Therefore Crypturellus means small hidden tail. bartletti comes from the Latin form of Bartlett to commemorate Edward Bartlett.

Range and habitat

Bartlett's tinamou is found in swamp and lowland forest in subtropical and tropical regions up to 500 m (1,600 ft) altitude. This species is native to western Amazonian Brazil, northern Bolivia, and eastern Peru, in South America. It is also found in eastern Ecuador.

Description

The Bartlett's tinamou is approximately 27 cm (11 in) in length. Its upperparts are brown above barred with black, throat and belly are white, remainder of underparts are rufous, flanks are barred black, and its crown is blackish.

Behavior

Like other tinamous, the Bartlett's 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.

Conservation

The IUCN classify this tinamou as Least Concern, with an occurrence range of 1,600,000 km² (620,000 sq mi).

References

• BirdLife International (2008). "Bartlett's Tinamou – BirdLife Species Factsheet". Data Zone. Retrieved 6 February 2009.
• Brands, Sheila (14 August 2008). "Systema Naturae 2000 / Classification, Genus Crypturellus". Project: The Taxonomicon. Retrieved 4 February 2009.
• Clements, James (2007). The Clements Checklist of the Birds of the World (6th ed.). Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press. ISBN 978-0-8014-4501-9.
• Davies, S.J.J.F. (2003). "Tinamous". In Hutchins, Michael (ed.). Grzimek's Animal Life Encyclopedia. Vol. 8 Birds I Tinamous and Ratites to Hoatzins (2nd 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.