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Galliformes and other animals for South America
JOrnitho: Hello! I'm back with ideas for some new species for South America. I found in my computer an archive with some ideas for fauna and flora that I had some time ago and decided to show there to ask your opinion about them. The first is about a descendant of the domestic chicken. [more]Copper jacumitan (Jacumita cuprinus) Order: Galliformes Family: Phasianidae Habitat: Savannas and woodlands of Central South America. During the Holocene, the man introduced many species in other continents. The jacumitan is a descendant of domestic chicken (Gallus gallus domesticus) that are introduced in South America. It replaced the birds in the family Cracidae, which are extinct in the Neocene, in some areas. In a matter of fact, the name jacumitan is the junction of the words jacu, the popular name in Brazil for guans of the Genus Penelope, and the tupi word mitã (mitan) that means new, this way the name means “new guan”. The copper jacumitan is the type species of this genus and lives in the savannas and woodlands of Central South America. The copper jacumitan is sexually dysmorphic. The male measure 190 cm, due to the long tail, it has a bright coppery brown upperbody plumage and reddish-brown feathers below. They also have metallic dark green feathers on the tail and wings. Only males have a bright red naked skin on the face, with two wattles that conceal the sides of its head. This characteristic is shared by all males of the genus Jacumita. The males of the genus also have crests formed by white feathers with black tips. During courtship and panic moments, they rise the crests. The females have 75 cm of length and are cryptic brown and adapted to camouflage, its naked skin on the face is pale pink and don’t have flesh wattles. The young males are similar to the females until they reach 9 weeks, at this time the wattle begin to develop. Both sexes have long orange colored legs and grey beak. The males have spurs that they use in fights for dominance. The neck is long and slim. Copper jacumitans can fly, but prefer to run from the predators flying only as last resort. These birds are omnivorous and feed on insects, seeds, and fruits. Its forage for food by scratching the ground, usually near herbivores this way there is other animals observing for the presence of predators. Often the male sits on a high perch, to serve as a lookout for his group. He sounds an alarm call if predators are nearby. At night it will sleep perched on branches. Copper jacumitans are polygamous; the male will have a harem with 5 to 12 females and will guards the area where his females are nesting, and attack other males that enter his territory. To initiate courting, the males will dance in a circle around or near a female, raising their crests and lowering the wing which is closest to the hen. Then, he will vocalize and when she responds to his call, the male will mount her and proceed with the mating. The females make their nest in the ground, laying 6 to 14 red eggs which are incubated for 22 days. Chicks are precocious, leaving the nest shortly they are born. They fledge in about 4 to 5 weeks, and at 13 weeks old are chased out of the group by their mother, at which point the young males start to form a harem and the females join an existing one. Sexual maturity is reached at 6 months and the lifespan of this species is of 13 years, however is common for males to die early due to predation. Other species in the genus Jacumita are: Golden jacumitan (Jacumita aurea) Living in the forests of the Atlantic coast of South America, the males of this species has 200 cm of length, from beak to tail, while the females have 83 cm. The plumage of the male have a bright golden-yellow plumage in the upperparts, being scarlet in the chest and belly. They have dark metallic green wing feathers and tail while the female is cryptic brown. Red jacumitan (Jacumita amazonica) Living in the "terra firme" forests of the Amazon , the males of this species has 185 cm of length, from beak to tail, while females have 70 cm. The plumage of male is bright orange-red in the upperparts, while their chest and belly is yellow. The males also have dark metallic blue wing feathers and tail while the female is cryptic brown. Andean jacumitan (Jacumita andina) Living in the highland forests in the slopes of the Andes, the males of this species has 170 cm of length, from beak to tail, while females have 68 cm. The plumage of the males is white in the upperparts and yellowish-red in the belly and chest. The males also have dark metallic blue wing feathers and tail while the female is cryptic brown. This other one is about a descendant of the californian quail: Common austral grouse (Tetraoinus australis) Order: Galliformes Family: Odontophoridae Habitat: Forests of Southern South America During the Holocene, the man introduced many exotic species different habitats, the ancestor of the austral grouse was one of these species. Their ancestor was not a true grouse, but the Californian quail, due to evolutionary convergence they acquired characteristics similar to the true grouses of North America. Living in the forests of Southern South America, the male austral grouse are 55 cm long and the female have 44 cm of length. The male have a dark grey body plumage, black-and-white bridled head pattern, black back and a greyish-blue belly. They have a curving crest or plume, made of six feathers that droops forward (long and black in males /short and brown in females) and long forked blackish tail with white undertail coverts. Females and immature birds are mainly greyish-brown with a light-brown belly. Both sexes have a black bill and relatively long grey legs. Their diet consists mainly of seeds and leaves, but they also eat some berries and insects. In some regions their main source of food are the seeds of trees of the Genus Araucaria. These birds are not elegant fliers, however they sleep perched in branches. Given a choice, they will normally escape on foot. During the courtship, the male austral grouse do displays on a lek, each male have a “personal space”. The males strut around their chose space, doing a display. The display consists of the male posturing himself with the head near the ground. Then, they start to move it from right to left showing their crests, simultaneously they raising the tail feathers, showing their withe undertail coverts. After that, they will raise their heads abruptly and whilst make a highly distinctive mating call. When another male invade the personal space of other, a fight happens, in this case the male will try to take of the crest of the rival, this way they will not be capable to display for the females. The female usually lays approximately 12 spotted eggs. The nest is a shallow scrape lined with vegetation on the ground. Incubation lasts from 21–25 days, usually performed by the female and rarely by the male. The chicks are precocial, leaving the nest with their parents within hours of hatching. The male stay with the female until the young leave, with 3 months. The young reach sexual maturity with 1 year, with this age the young males acquire the coloration of an adult male. Their lifespan is of 27 years. In the forests of Tierra del Fuego another species lives, the Black boreal grouse (Tetraoinus nigrus). Their main difference to the other species is that the males have an all-black plumage, with only a faint shade of blue in the chest and brown undertail coverts. The females are similar to that of the common austral grouse. The males have 52 cm and the females 41 cm.[/more] I also have in this archive some names for possible species that I never developed bayond some few facts. Maybe someone could help me make their descriptions.
Áèîëîã: JOrnitho Hi and glad to see you again! I am sorry for the accident that I deleted your post. It is due to malfunction of my VPN - now, as Ukraine (my residence) blocks any sites of .RU domain due to the war, I can get access here via VPN only. Your species are good and I rush to add them to the catalogue!
JOrnitho: Áèîëîã ïèøåò: Hi and glad to see you again! I am sorry for the accident that I deleted your post. It is due to malfunction of my VPN - now, as Ukraine (my residence) blocks any sites of .RU domain due to the war, I can get access here via VPN only. No problem! I'm happy for returning to the forum. I'm full of new ideas! Another idea that I had for a Galliforme of South America: Andean mountain-cock (Montanogallus andinus) Order: Galliformes Family: Odontophoridae Habitat: Slopes of the Central Andes During the Holocene the man introduced many species. In South America the Californian quail was one of these species. In the Neocene these birds gave rise to two new Genus: Tetraoinus, the austral grouse, and the Montanogallus, the mountain-cock. The Andean mountain-cock is one of the representatives of this Genus. Living in the slopes of Central Andes, the Andean mountain-cock is a snowcock-like bird, both sexes have 63 cm of length and a light brown tail. The male has a dark brown plumage, a white chest, a golden scaled belly and a black head. They also have a short curving crest, made of six feathers; the crest is nonexistent in females. Females and immature birds are mainly brown with a grey belly and white chest. Legs and beaks are grey in both sexes. This species lives in higher altitudes. During winter, they descend to lower altitudes and move around in convoy. When approached from below on a hill slope, they move up, stopping every now and then to look at the intruder, but when alarmed they fly away. The flight is swift and will often make a whistling call in flight. They feed on seeds, bulbs, grass shoots and invertebrates. During the feeding, keep sentries and while resting in the middle of the day, one or more of adult birds stay in high boulders and keep a watch, warning the flocks on the approach of danger with loud prolonged whistles. Their nest is a scrape, sparsely lined and sheltered under a stone or bush usually on the leeward side of a bare hill, and avoiding ground with vegetation. About 6 to 10 spotted eggs are laid. The male stands sentinel while the female incubate them for 27-28 days. Both parent birds accompany the brood and adults perform distraction displays when the young are threatened, while the chicks crouch or hide between stones. Often, families group together, into multifamily "communal broods" which include at least two females, multiple males and many offspring. Males associated with families are not always the genetic fathers. The younger reach sexual maturity with 2 years. Their lifespan is of 27 years. In the Andean Altiplano lives the White-headed mountain-cock (Montanogallus leucocephalus). Their biggest difference when compared to the Andean mountain-cock is the white head of the males. They have 58 cm of length. Another species, the Blue-chested mountain-cock (Montanogallus cyanopectus), lives in the slopes of the Andes in the extreme south of South America. The main characteristic of this species is the grey-blue plumage in the chest of males. They have 60 cm of length. The females of all species are similar, except that the female blue-chested mountain-cock have a bluish-grey chest .
Áèîëîã: JOrnitho OK, this one is good too! Adding to the catalogue!
JOrnitho: I found in my archive the description of a Charadriiforme family that evolved to partially fill the niche of storm petrels, feeding of small pellagic prey in the ocean surface. Do you think that this creature could exist? They would hunt in association with predators that hunt underwater, taking opportunity in the way that they force the prey to surface to have easy access to food. I can post it there, if anyone want to give it a look. I also have another animal for South America, this time a duck: Common forest duck (Sylvanas sulamericana) Order: Anseriformes Family: Antidae Habitat: Lakes, rivers and marshes of forests and woodlands of tropical South America The Ice Age that occurred during the transition of Holocene to Neocene forced some species to migrate to southern regions. Certain species, even with the end of the ice age, remained in their new localities giving rise to new animals. The genus Sylvanas, the forest ducks is one of these cases. This genus originated from mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) x northern pintail (Anas acuta) hybrids which migrated to southern regions to avoid the Ice Age. When these ducks reached these new areas, they interacted with local birds of the same Genus. This resulted in new hybridization with these species, resulting in the genus Sylvanas having genes from them. These animals have genes of the domestic duck (Anas platyrhynchos domesticus) that went feral, the Mexican duck (Anas diazi) and the white-cheeked teal (Anas bahamensis). The type species of this new genus is the common forest duck which lives in lakes, rivers and marshes of forests and woodlands of tropical South America. The common forest duck has 60 of length and a wingspan of 93 cm. All members of the genus Sylvanas are sexually dysmorphic. The males of common forest ducks have a glossy bottle-green head and a cinnamon breast, throat and cheeks. The males also have a long tail, a characteristic inherited from the pintails. This characteristic is present in all members of the Genus. Their wings are greyish brown, and a white belly. The females are mottled, with each individual feather showing sharp contrast from buff to very dark brown. They also have white feathers on their cheeks and throat. Both sexes have iridescent violet feathers in the speculum and white feathers in the tail. The beak is reddish orange with a grey base, the colors are more bright in the males. The legs and webbed feet are orange. Young males are similar to the females, except for a pale brown breast, throat and cheeks. They acquire adult plumage with 3 years, with this age they reach sexual maturity. These birds are omnivorous, eating from plant material to invertebrates, such as molluscs, insects and crustaceans. Common forest ducks usually form pairs until the female lays eggs at the start of the nesting season. At this time she is left by the male who joins up with other males to wait for the molting period, which begins in the rainy season. During the brief time before this, however, the males are still sexually potent and some of them either remain on standby to sire replacement clutches (for female ducks that have lost or abandoned their previous clutch) or forcibly mate with females that appear to be isolated or unattached. A characteristic that differs this Genus of their ancestors is that they build floating nests hidden in the aquatic vegetation of lakes, calm rivers and other freshwater reservoirs. Egg clutches number 8 to 14 creamy white eggs. The eggs are laid on alternate days, and incubation begins when the clutch is almost complete. Incubation takes 28 days and fledging takes 50 days. The ducklings are precocial and fully capable of swimming as soon as they hatch. The lifespan of these birds is of 16 years. Others species of the genus Sylvanas: Masked forest duck (Sylvanas andina) Living in freshwater reservoirs of forests in the foothills of the Andes, this bird has 56 cm of length and a wingspan of 87 cm. The male of this species has grey flanks and back, a white underbelly and a green head. The head is glossy bottle-green with a black strip around the eyes. The female has plumage similar to that of the common forest duck, with the exception of a pale grey stripe around the eyes. Both sexes have iridescent blue feathers in the speculum and a white tail. Crowned forest duck (Sylvanas coronata) Living in freshwater reservoirs of the island of Great Antigua, these birds have 35 cm of length and a wingspan of 47 cm. They are poor flyers, but compensate by flapping their wings into the water as well as using their feet to swim fast, in a similar way to the modern steamer ducks. The male of this species have a glossy bottle-green crown and nape. They also have grey flanks and backs. The female is similar to the female of the common forest duck. Both sexes have iridescent blueish green feathers in the speculum and a brown tail. Northern forest duck (Sylvanas septentrionalis) Living in the freshwater reservoirs of tropical North America, the birds have 58 cm of length and a wingspan of 89 cm. The male of this species has a glossy bottle-green head and a dark grey collar that demarcates the head from the cinnamon breast, grey wings, and a white belly. The female is similar to that of the common forest duck. Both sexes have green feathers in the speculum and a brown tail, which is longer in the males.
Áèîëîã: JOrnitho I can post it there, if anyone want to give it a look. Sure, why not? I also have another animal for South America, this time a duck: Very good, adding that to the catalogue! And once again, thank you for your participation!
JOrnitho: Áèîëîã ïèøåò: Very good, adding that to the catalogue! And once again, thank you for your participation! It's a pleasure for me to be able to help! I really appreciate the project. It was by reading it that I decided to become a biologist. Here is the description of the family of seabirds and some genera that is part of it: Common vesper bird (Hesperides aurora) During the Holocene, human interference caused the extinction of many species. After the extinction of the man, the surviving species continued their evolution giving rise to new ones. The common vesper bird is one of them, a member of the Hesperidae Family that was part of the Charadriiformes. Their closest relatives are the gulls and terns. This species lives in the tropical and temperate areas of the Southern Atlantic Ocean, nesting in islands. Its common name means “bird of the afternoon” and their binomial name is formed by the words Hesperides, the Greek nymphs of the afternoon and Aurora, the Roman goddess of dawn. These names are related to an adaptation presented by adults during the nesting season. To feed their young, one of the parents will leave the nest at the first hours of the dawn and will return at the last hours of dusk, then the other parent will go search for food, returning in the dawn. This way they avoid predators that can find the nest and kleptoparasitism by other birds. Morphologically, the common vesper bird is similar to the modern storm petrels (Genera Hydrobatidae and Oceanitidae); they have a larger head, thicker neck and strong long legs. Their wings are long, slender and pointed, this way they soar over the sea. This is a case of convergent evolution. Their bills are small, but strong. Their slightly curved tip helps in the capture of prey. This species has 21 cm of body length and a wingspan of 48 cm. Most of their plumage is dark grey, with the exception of the wings that are white and a crescent shaped white mark that extends from one side of their head to the other. Their tail is white and the males develop an elongated streamer. The bill is red and the feet are orange. The precocial chick is yellowish with brown markings and the bill is pale yellow. The eyes are large, allowing them to hunt during the night. Both males and females have large outgrowths in the base of the upper jaw. These structures contain salt-removing glands inside and allow these birds drinking salt water without any harm to their health. This characteristic allows these birds to spend most of their lives in the ocean, only returning during the nesting season. This species had evolved to partially fill the niche of the storm petrels. They feed on plankton, fishes, crustaceans and molluscs. Usually, these birds will catch their prey directly from the surface by hovering above it and then taking small morsels. However, they can seldom swim over it and more rarely dive, submerging for some seconds, but to no more than 50 cm below the surface. It will also track groups of predatory fish and other birds, waiting for their prey to be driven to the sea's surface. As the chicks grow, they are fed increasingly larger quantities of fish and crustaceans by their parents, generally partly digested and regurgitated. The common vesper bird forms pairs when they are at sea. The males initiate an aerial courtship display of flying in large circles, alternating between gliding, short periods of rapid wing-beating, and low flight within a few meters of the water, while making sharp cackling calls. Initially flying in small groups, birds then pair off to repeat the display in pairs before bonding. After bonding, the pair will arrive on the island where they nest and the male will offer fish to the female. Nesting takes place in loose colonies on oceanic islands. A monogamous and philopatric species, the pair will return to the same nesting place. The common vesper bird makes their nests in crevices between or under rocks, or burrows in the soil. When they make their own burrow, they loosen the earth with their bills and kick out the debris with their feet. The construction of the nest occurs at night. It usually lays a clutch of one pale purple egg with reddish-brown spots. It is incubated by both sexes for 43 to 47 days. The chicks eventually fledge in about 10 to 15 weeks after hatching and leave the nest at night with this age. The juvenile reach sexual maturity with 4 years. Their lifespan is 23 years. The Family Hesperidae is divided into two Genus: Hesperides and Erytheia. The species that form the Genus Hesperides are: Antarctic vesper bird (Hesperides australis) Living in the Antarctic Ocean, this species has 18 cm of length and a wingspan of 43 cm. The Antarctic vesper bird is white, with pale grey plumage in their wings and a black patch around and behind their eyes. The central feather of the breeding males is very short compared to the other species of the Genus. This species built their nests away from the ocean, being one of the few seabirds of Antarctic that nests away from the sea. This is an attempt to avoid most of the predators that stay close to the large nesting colonies of the other seabirds. However, this characteristic forces the parents to make long travels to reach the sea to find food for the chick. In the winter, this species migrates to more warm areas in the Indian ocean. New Azora vesper bird (Hesperides atlantica) Being endemic to the island of New Azora, this is the smallest representative of the Genus, with only 14 cm in length and a wingspan of 32 cm. The plumage of this species is mostly dark brown, except for the white rump and head. Northern vesper bird (Hesperides borealis) Living in the North Atlantic Ocean, this species has 19 length and 41 cm of wingspan. It has a pale brown to grey back, rump and wings with black flight feathers. It is white below and has a white face with a black eye mask. The species that form the Genus Erytheia are: Pacific vesper bird (Erytheia pacifica) Living in the tropical and temperate areas of the Northern Pacific Ocean, this species has 21 cm of length and 43 cm of wingspan. Most of their plumage is pale grey which is contrasting with darker grey on the upper wings and the rump. They also gave a distinct white head, and prominent dark eye patch. Californian vesper bird (Erytheia californiana) This species is endemic to California. The smallest of the genus, this bird has 14 cm of length and 38 cm of wingspan. Its plumage is dark grey and white, and it has a dark grey head with prominent white feathers on the cheeks and throat. There is a white speckling on forehead along with a prominent dark eye patch. Its underside is mostly white, which turned dark grey at underwings. Solitary vesper bird (Erytheia solitaria) Living in the South Pacific Ocean, this species has 20 cm of length and 42 cm of wingspan. Their plumage is similar to the Pacific vesper bird, except for the absence of dark grey in the rump that is replaced by white.
Áèîëîã: JOrnitho It was by reading it that I decided to become a biologist. Wow! Delighted to hear that! Here is the description of the family of seabirds and some genera that is part of it: Good! Adding them to the catalogue.
JOrnitho: Another description of an animal for South America, this time a visitor that comes from Antarctic during winter: Antarctic swamphen (Austroporphyrio vorax) Order:Gruiformes Family:Rallidae Habitat: Lakes and swamps of Anartica, migrating to New Zealand and Southern South America during the winter In the Neocene, the Tectonic movements changed the position of the continents. Antarctica was now in a more northern position, this way this continent isn’t anymore a frozen land. In this new environment, the Antarctic swamphen appeared. This species is a descendant of the Australasian swamphen (Porphyrio melanotus). Its ancestors come from New Zealand to Antarctica. The Antarctic swamphen lives in the lakes and swamps of this continent, migrating to New Zealand and Southern South America during the winter. The Antarctic swamphen is a robust bird with 59 cm of length and a wingspan of 92 cm. The upperparts are greyish blue while the throat and underparts are white. The wings are brownish green. The beak and frontal shield are bright red and the feet are pale red. The wings are strong, allowing them to do their migration across the sea. These birds are ravenous omnivores, feeding on nearly anything that they can catch. They eat plant materials, invertebrates, fishes, carrion, eggs and young of other birds. Antarctic swamphens are frequent visitors at nesting colonies of sea birds, where they will eat eggs and unguarded young. These animals also patrol the coast in search of beached animals and algae. They are aggressive, attacking anything that tries to approach their territory or try to take their food. While eating carrion, these birds will fight for the carcass against birds of prey. These birds live in familiar groups, during the migration the family fly together and call each other. The courtship display of this bird occurs when the pair is formed for the first time and is repeated each year after they return to Antarctica. This display entails the male standing in a slightly bent forward position, with the neck outstretched, and holding the wings at an almost right angle to the body and bent at the wrist, so that the primaries are angled down. If the female approves, she will do the same display. After that, both birds will strut and make a deep bow as they approach each other. The nest is floating and built within the dense vegetation along shallow margins of lakes and marshes. The female lays 5 to 10 eggs, which both parents incubate for 25 days. During this period, the siblings defend the territory from others Antarctic swamphen. When the eggs hatches, the older siblings will help take care of the young. These birds are already capable to fly with 28 days. During this time, the family will occasionally visit colonies of sea birds and attack chicks that are alone. When the climate starts to turn colder, they move to the coast. When the first snowfall, these birds leave Antarctica to their wintering areas in New Zealand and Southern South America, stopping at islets along the way. This species reaches sexual maturity with 4 years, at this age the young leave the parents to form their own families. The lifespan of the Antarctic swamphen is 24.
Áèîëîã: JOrnitho And another good species! Adding it to the catalogue! You do not have to use hidden text instrument when you add only one description in the post. It is reasonable when the post takes two or more screens to scroll.
JOrnitho: Áèîëîã ïèøåò: You do not have to use hidden text instrument when you add only one description in the post. It is reasonable when the post takes two or more screens to scroll Ok! I'll do that. I have two more descriptions, both were about Cotingas: Rose screaming anambe (Vociferornis roseoventer) Order: Passeriformes Family: Cotingidae Habitat: Tropical forests of Northern and Northeastern South America. The human actions in the Holocene caused many impacts in the ecosystems. Because of these actions, many species went extinct in the Neocene. However some species survived and give raise to descendants, one of these descendants is the rose screaming anambe (in Brazil, the word anambe was a common name used to birds of the Family Cotingidae). A descendant of the Genus Lipaugus, the rose screaming anambe lives in the tropical forests of Northern and Northeastern South America. These birds are sexually dysmorphic, with males being large and more colorful than the females. They have 68 cm of length and a wingspan of 100 cm, while females have 62 cm of length and a wingspan of 96 cm. The males have throat, underparts and wings magenta-colored. The head and back are dark grey, while the tail is yellow. The females are mostly dull grey, with rufous in the throat and underparts. The young males are similar to the females until reaching sexual maturity with 3 years. The beak and legs are dark grey. Rose screaming anambes feed mostly on fruits and berries, however flower, insects, spiders and small amphibians are eaten opportunistically. This bird never leaves the canopy, with all food being obtained there. These birds are solitary, forming pairs for a brief period after mating. The nesting season occurs during the end of the dry season. Males gather in large leks and vocalize to attract the females. Their song is extraordinarily loud, reaching even greater distances than that of the fiery fruitcrow. Nests are built in trees or treeferns, high above the ground. The female lay two white eggs and is the solely responsible for incubate them, the male will leave her after the eggs are laid. The incubation lasts for 27 days. The chicks fledge with 30 days. The lifespan of this species is of 20 years. Other species in the Genus Vociferonis: Bare-throated screaming anambe (Vociferornis nudicollis) Living in the forests at the foothills of the Andes, the males of this species have 57 cm of length and a wingspan of 95 cm, while females have 50 cm and a wingspan of 87 cm. Males of this species have a characteristic bare red patch of skin around its eyes and beak and on its throat. Their plumage is similar to that of the magenta screaming anambe. Females of bare-throated screaming anambe have plumage similar to that of the other species. Fiery fruitcrow (Calidornithes vociferans) Order: Passeriformes Family: Cotingidae Habitat: Moist subtropical and tropical forests of South America. The human actions in the Holocene caused many impacts in the ecosystems. Because of these actions, many species went extinct in the Neocene. However some species survived and gave rise to descendants, one of these descendants is the fiery fruitcrow. This animal is a descendant of the birds in the family Cotinga. It lives in moist subtropical and tropical forests of South America. Fiery fruitcrows are large passerines; the males can reach 40 cm o length with wingspan of 65 cm. while females have 34 cm with wingspan of 60 cm. Males are more colorful than the females, they have bright reddish orange feathers covering their body with exception of the belly, tail and primaries feathers that are black, they also have a bright yellow beak. The females have olive plumage with yellowish green underparts and their beak is grey. Both sexes have grey legs and feet. The young males are similar to the females until reaching sexual maturity, which occurs with 2 years. The diet of these birds is largely composed of fruits, the fruits of large seeds are swallowed whole and the seed are regurgitated while the small are expelled in the feces. Fiery fruitcrows will occasionally eat insects. This species lives mostly on the canopy of the forests, rarely coming to low levels. They are polygamous, during breeding season the males form loose leks and start vocalizing to attract the females, the sound produced is loud and can be hear for kilometers. Nests are built high in trees, far above the ground. The female lays two creamy colored eggs, which are incubated only by her for 27 days. Only the female cares for the chicks, feeding them with invertebrates and regurgitated fruits. The young fledge usually 23 days after hatching. The lifespan of this species is of 14 years.
Áèîëîã: JOrnitho Thanks for new species, added them to the catalogue.
JOrnitho: I have some more descriptions to post. This time it's of a dove and a monkey. Wandering dove (Zenaida erranta) Order: Columbiformes Family: Columbidae Habitat: In constant migration, from the forests of Tierra del Fuego to the Southern Amazonian rainforest A descendant of the eared dove (Zenaida auriculata), the wandering dove is a nomadic and gregarious species, constantly migrating in search of food, shelter and nesting grounds. They form enormous flocks with millions of individuals, in constant migration from the forests of Tierra del Fuego to the Southern Amazonian rainforest. The wandering dove is 20 cm long with a long wedge-shaped tail. Adult males have mainly olive-brown upperpart plumage, with black spots on the wings. The head has a reddish-brown crown and on the sides of the neck and the upper mantle they have iridescent display feathers of the colors violet or golden-green, depending on the angle of the light. The underparts are vinous, and the tail is tipped with cinnamon. The female is duller than the male, lacking the iridescent feathers .The immature birds are greyish-brown, very dull, with pale barring. In both sexes the bill is black and the legs dark red. Their diet consists of seeds, fruits and shoots. Their nomadic journey occurs as follows: Taking as a starting point the nesting areas in the forests of Southern South America, they will fly to north after the young are fledged. When the wandering doves reach the plains of Central South America, the enormous flock separates into small groups that will stay for a time in the plains. In the lasts days of autumn they will continue to migrate north. These small groups will congregate again when they reach their Amazonian nesting sites. After nesting here, they will fly back to the south, staying for a time in the plains and going to the Southern nesting sites when the conditions are favorable. They form immense breeding colonies and realize cooperative breeding, with the young receiving care not only from their parents, but also of others group members. Courtship took place at the nesting colony, on a branch or perch. The male, with a flourish of the wings, vocalize while near a female. The male then grip tightly to the branch and vigorously flap his wings up and down. When the male is close to the female, he will press against her on the perch with his head held high and pointing at her. If receptive, the female press back against the male. When ready to mate, the pair preens each other. As both sexes took care of the nest, the pairs were monogamous for the duration of the nesting. The wandering dove has two different nesting areas, one in the forests of Southern South America and another in the Southern region of the Amazonian rainforest. It builds a small stick nest several meters up in a tree and lays two white eggs. These hatch in 13–15 days with another 9 days to fledging. This species programs its reproduction to coincide with the fruiting of trees, in Southern South America they arrive in their nesting grounds when the trees of the Family Nothofagaceae have fruits, while in their Amazonian nesting areas they arrive when the first fruits starts to appear. If the fruits take time to appear there will be a high mortality of young. The young reach sexual maturity with 10 months. Their lifespan is 10 years. Black-headed jurupixuna (Jurupixuna nigrocephala) Order: Primates Family: Cebidae Habitat: Woodlands and forests of Central and Northeastern South America During the Holocene, the humans used to collect many animals from their original habitats to have them as pets. The common squirrel-monkey (Saimiri sciureus) was one of these animals, it was transported to many places, such as the Atlantic forests of South America. In these places, the monkeys escaped or are set free and have adapted to the new environment. Then, during the Neocene, this species give rise to the Genus Jurupixuna. The word jurupixina is one of the names used by the indigenous populations of Brazil to name its ancestor. The type species of this genus is the black-faced jurupixuna which live in the woodlands and forests of Central and Northeastern South America. Black-faced jurupixunas have a head and body length of 40 cm with a tail of 90 cm. The fur is yellow-orange with a white underbelly. The head is dark colored. Jurupixinas mostly walk quadrupedally and spend most of their time in the trees, but will occasionally descend to the ground when there are congregations of herbivore animals. When walking through the trees, it uses the long tail for balance. They will also make bipedal hops, climbing and descending supports with the body upright, and leaps. These animals eat fruits, leaves, seeds and flowers. They will also eat insects, small vertebrates and eggs. All species of jurupixunas use tools to get food. Upon seeing psittacids eating palm nuts, cracking them open with their beaks, these monkeys will select a few of the ripest fruits, nip off the tip of the fruit and drink down the juice, then seemingly discard the rest of the fruit with the nut inside. When these discarded fruits have hardened and become slightly brittle, the jurupixunas will gather them up again and take them to a large flat boulder where they have previously gathered a few river stones from up to a mile away. They will then use these stones to crack open the fruit to get to the nut inside. Other use of tools is the use of twigs to take ants and termites. Young monkeys will watch this process to learn from the older, more experienced adults. These animals are diurnal, sleeping during the night in trees. When resting, they generally prefer the highest branches. They form two type of group: one with a dominant male, several females and the offspring; other formed by young males expelled from their groups. The dominant male is the only one that reproduces, defending his group from the attack of young males that try to usurp his position. The females have a hierarchy with the youngest females occupying the highest ranks. Higher-ranking females are more reproductively successful than lower-ranking ones. The mating season occurs during the end of the rainy season, the babies are born after a gestation of 10 months. Infanticide is common among these monkeys. Most infanticidal jurupixunas are males that have recently immigrated to a group and driven out the prior male. These males only kill infants that are not their own. The young are weaned after 1 year and young males are expelled from the group with 3 years. Black-headed jurupixunas reach sexual maturity with 5 years and have a lifespan of 15 years. Other species in the Genus Jurupixuna: Gracile jurupixuna (Jurupixuna gracilis) Living in the forests of Southeastern South America, this species has 46 cm of length and a tail of 95 cm. The gracile jurupixuna have orange-olive fur and a white underbelly and face. Amazon jurupixuna (Jurupixuna amazonica) Living in the forests of Amazon basin, this species have 50 cm of length and a tail of 100 cm. Amazon jurupixunas have orange-olive fur and a grey underbelly and face.
Áèîëîã: JOrnitho Good animals! Also added to the catalogue.
JOrnitho: I some more descriptions. These are about more two bird species: Paradise false-cuckoo (Pseudococcyzus cirrhoventer) Order: Passeriformes Family: Pseudococcyzidae Habitat: Atlantic forests of South America During the Holocene, humans caused many impacts on nature. However the survivors give rise in the Neocene to new species. One case is the Genus Pseudococcyzus, the false cuckoo. This genus is part of the new Family Pseudococcyzidae in the order Passeriformes. The type species of this group is the paradise false cuckoo that lives in the Atlantic forests of South America. These birds are brood parasites like the cuckoos. Other characteristic of these birds is their ability to mimic the sound of other birds. The paradise false-cuckoo is a sexually dismorphic bird. The male is large with 44 cm of length and 57 cm of wingspan. Half of their size is due to their long wide forked tail. The plumage is iridescent blue as are most of the upperparts, the wings are bronze-green with blue primaries, the throat and upper breast are glossy purple, and the tail is glossy blue-green. The middle breast and underparts are orange-buff. The female is smaller, with 37 cm of length and a wingspan of 48 cm. All females of this genus have the same plumage. The head, upperparts and tail of female birds are rusty brown, while their throat and underparts are white. The tail of females is short and less wide than that of the males. Young males are similar to females until reaching sexual maturity with 2 years. Beaks and legs in both sexes are grey colored. These birds are omnivorous, consuming a variety of insects, caterpillars, eggs and small vertebrates. Adults feed mainly on fruit. They will sometimes defend fruiting trees that they forage in and chase away other frugivores. All species of false-cuckoos are brood parasites. They form pairs during the breeding season which occurs during the end of the dry season. The male will attract the female copying the vocalization of other birds and will proceed to give her food. The pair will work together when the female needs to lay the eggs. The male will stay near the area of the host nest and will start to mimic sounds of predatory birds and attack the nesting bird. This spook the host, making it flees of the nest, allowing the female to lay its eggs. The female lay one egg per nest, she will consume one of the original eggs. The female lays 4 eggs on different birds’ nests. Birds of the Families Cotingidae and Thraupidae are chosen by the paradise false-cuckoo. The eggs are incubated by the foster parents for 16 days. When it hatches, the young false-cuckoo will not expel its foster siblings from the nest. The chick fledges with 28 days, but stays being fed by the foster parents for more than 10 days. Paradise false-cuckoo has a lifespan of 17 years. Other species in the genus Pseudococcyzus: Emerald false-cuckoo (Pseudococcyzus amazonicus) Living in the Amazon rainforest, males of this species have 46 cm and a wingspan of 60 cm. Its plumage is mostly metallic blue, with exception of the belly that is yellow. The female has 39 cm of length and a wingspan of 57 cm. The preferred hosts for its eggs are birds of the Families Icteridae and Cotingidae. Andean false-cuckoo (Pseudococcyzus andinus) Living in the forests near the foothills of the Andes, males of this species have 42 cm of length and a wingspan of 56 cm. Its plumage is mostly metallic green, with the exception of the underbelly that is metallic purple. The females have 34 cm of length and a wingspan of 48 cm. The preferred hosts for its eggs are birds of the Families Icteridae and Cotingidae. Amazon nhakurutukutu (Piscatostrix amazonica) Order: Strigiformes Family: Strigidae Habitat: Amazon rainforest The human actions in the Holocene caused many impacts in the ecosystems. Because of these actions, many species went extinct in the Neocene. However some species survived and gave rise to descendants, one of these descendants is the amazon nhakurutukutu, a type of species of the genus Piscatostrix. This animal is a descendant of the owls in the family Strigidae, the true owls. The name nhakurutukutu is the combination of two Tupi words, nakurutu (which means owl) and kutu (which means fishing). This reflects the habit of this animal to catch fish. It lives in the Amazon rainforest. These birds have 46 cm of length and a wingspan of 83 cm. The females are slightly larger than the males. Their plumage is rufous brown and heavily streaked with dark brown. The underparts are grey, with finer brown barring. The facial disk is dark brown and their ear tuffs are white and long. The beak and legs are dark grey. Members of the genus Piscatostrix eats mostly fish, however they will also take other aquatic animals such as frogs, freshwater crustaceans and large insects. Small mammals and reptiles are also eaten, but more rarely. Amazon nhakurutukutu nest during the dry season, which has the benefit of lower, clearer water and thus more easily detectable fish. They are monogamous and territorial, claiming a stretch of river or lakeshore for themselves. Territories are claimed by hooting at the start of the breeding season. The nest is a natural hollow or cavity in an old shady tree close to the water, quite often around where thick branches emerge from the trunk. The clutch size is typically one or two white eggs. The female lays the eggs when water's at its peak or starting to fall, so that brood feeding coincides with low water and concentrated prey. The female does all incubation for around 32 days, while the male feeds her. If there is more than one egg, hatching occurs at 5 day intervals. The second chick often disappears, probably due to starvation and fratricide. The young fledge with 53 days and remain in their parent's territory for 6 to 9 months after fledging and resemble the adult by around 10 months of age. At the first sight of danger to their offspring, both parents may engage in distraction displays. In these displays, the parents become slim and erect their ear tufts high, the wings are stretched and they produce a sound similar to a scream. This species reaches sexual maturity with 4 years and their lifespan is of 28 years. Other species in the genus Piscatostrix: Lesser nhakurutukutu (Piscatostrix minor) Living in the forests and woodlands at the foothill of the Andes, these birds have 37 cm of length and a wingspan of 72 cm. Females are slightly larger than the males. Their plumage is chocolate-brown with the facial disk being dark brown. Their ear tuffs are white and shorter than that of the other species. Costal nhakurutukutu (Piscatostrix atlantica) Living in the forests near the Atlantic coast of South America, these birds have 45 cm of length and a wingspan of 87 cm. Females are slightly larger than the males. Their plumage is rufous-brown with the facial disk being light brown. Their long ear tufts are white.
Áèîëîã: JOrnitho Wow, thank you! Adding them to the catalogue. ñakurutûkutu But, h-m-m, what do these diacritics mean?
JOrnitho: Áèîëîã ïèøåò: But, h-m-m, what do these diacritics mean? I'm sorry! I forgot that these not exist outside of Brazil. The ñ is used to give a nasal sound to the n, similar to nh and how it's sometimes used in Spanish. The û means that it's being stressed a "closed" vowels, opposed to the ú that would be its open counterpart. I'll edit the description to change the name for Nhakurutukutu, which will be an adaptation of the Tupi-guarani name.
Àâòîð: JOrnitho ïèøåò: I forgot that these not exist outside of Brazil. It is a real problem sometimes to write foreign names in Cyrillic letters. IMHO, using of the native languages is a sign of respect to people living now at the areas described in the project.
JOrnitho: Àâòîð ïèøåò: It is a real problem sometimes to write foreign names in Cyrillic letters. IMHO, using of the native languages is a sign of respect to people living now at the areas described in the project. Yes. Next time that I use a word of a native language, I'll try to adapt to a way that can work to Cyrillic but retaining its meaning. By the way, I have more two descriptions of mammals. Amazon anhanga (Anhanga amazonica) A descendant of the Genus Mazama, the Anhanga has its name derived from an entity of Brazilian native folklore, more precisely the folklore of the Amazon region. In the legends, the Anhanga is a spirit which usually appears in the form of a white deer with burning eyes and is responsible for protecting the animals, especially the most defenseless, from hunters or unscrupulous fishermen, bringing these people great misfortunes. The anhanga lives in the tropical rainforests of Northern South America; they have stout bodies and large ears. Their head-and-body length is 146 cm; the shoulder height is 90 cm. Their fur is almost completely pale grey, except for the head that has brownish-red fur around their eyes. Males’ antlers are long and straight that can reach 50 cm, giving it an antilopine appearance. They use these antlers to compete against each other for the females, which are antlerless. This species browse on leaves, flowers, shoots, and fruits that have fallen from trees as well as low-growing shrubs. They will often scavenge for these fruits below trees in which monkeys are feeding. Living alone or in mated pairs within their own small territory, the boundaries are usually marked with urine, feces, or secretions from the eye glands. They are active both day and night. This species has no fixed mating season. Mated pairs that live together remain monogamous. Single male deer usually mate with nearby females. When males compete for a mate, they fight by biting and stabbing with their short antlers. The gestation period is 227 days and females bear only one fawn at a time. The young stay with the mother, keeping concealed until large enough to accompany her. They are normally weaned around 7 months of age and reach sexual maturity after a year. Their lifespan is 15 years. Another representative of the Genus Anhanga is the Andean anhanga (Anhanga andina). This species inhabits the mountainous forests of Andes. This species is smaller than the Amazonian one, with 117 cm of head-and-body length and 76 cm of shoulder height. The male antlers have 38 cm of length. This species has grayish-brown fur, with a pale gray head. Their fur is also ticker than the other species, what allows them to survive in colder temperatures in the Andes. Grey-headed marmoset (Neocallithrix griseocephalus) Even with the human interference during the Holocene, some species were capable to survive and evolve. The common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus) was one of these species; they are introduced by the man in different areas of the Atlantic region of Brazil, expanding their territory. This primate has become adapted to environments with great human presence and interbreeds with other species of the genus Callithrix: the Wied's marmoset (Callithrix kuhlii), buffy-tufted marmoset (Callithrix aurita), and the buffy-headed marmoset (Callithrix flaviceps). In the Neocene, as a result of this inteerbreed, a new Genus appeared: Neocallithrix, the new marmosets of Atlantic Forest. The type species of this Genus is the grey-headed marmoset, a inhabitant of the costal lowland forests of Southeastern South America. The grey-headed marmoset is a very small monkey with a relatively long tail. Males and females are of similar size with males being slightly larger. Males have an average length of 26 cm and females have an average height of 25 cm. The pelage of the marmoset is greyish brown with pale grey in the limbs. Differently of their ancestors, these marmosets have tuffts with a tassel-like shape, giving them the appearance of a koala. Such tuffts are mostly gray, but have some reddish-brown strands among them. The face has grey across the nose area skin and has a pale grey blaze on the forehead. The head is dark gray and the tail has a black tip. The coat of infants is pale brown. Like their ancestors, the grey-headed marmoset is adapted to a diet which is primarily made of plant exudates and insects. Common marmosets feed on gum, sap, latex, and resin. They use their nails to cling to the side of a tree and, with their long lower incisors, chew a hole in the tree. The marmoset then licks up the exudates or swoop them with the teeth. Exudates provide a reliable food source in their seasonal habitat. They rely on these foods when fruit is not abundant. A marmoset may visit a tree hole multiple times; including those made by other animals. In addition to exudates, insects also prove an important food source them. Grey-headed marmosets will also eat fruits, seeds, flowers, fungi, nectar, snails, lizards, tree frogs, bird eggs, nestlings, and infant mammals. Grey-headed marmosets live in stable extended families with only a few members allowed to breed. The group can contain 12 members, but normally there are 8 individuals. A marmoset family usually contains a breeding female, a breeding male, their offspring and their adult relatives, be it their parents or siblings. The female in a group tend to be closely related and males less so. Males do not mate with breeding females that they are related to. Family groups will fission into new groups when a breeding male dies. Grey-headed marmosets may leave their natal groups when they become adults. Social rank is based on age. Dominance is maintained through various behaviors, postures and vocalizations. These primates are monogamous; the dominant couple will breed regularly for the rest of their life when the conditions are propitious. Females flick their tongues at males to solicit mating. The gestation period lasts for five months, and females are ready to breed again around ten days after giving birth. Grey-headed marmosets usually give birth to twins and the other members of the group will help raise the young. Infant marmosets instinctively cling to their mother and father back and do not voluntarily let go for the first three weeks. After that, they become very active and explore their environment. At this time, all members of the family will care for them. In the following weeks, the young spend less time on their mother’s back and more time moving around and playing. Infants are weaned at three months. At five months they enter their juvenile stage. At this time, they have more interactions with family members other than their parents, and there is rough play for to establish their future status. Another set of infants may be born and the previous young will carry and play with them. They become adults with 15 months and are sexually mature but can’t breed until they are dominant. The lifespan of these marmosets is of 11 years. Other species in the Genus Neocallithrix: White-footed marmoset (Neocallithrix leucopes) An inhabitant of highland forests of southeastern South America, the males of this species have 19 cm of length and the females 18 cm. They are similar to the grey-headed marmoset, with the exception of white fur in their hind limbs. Auburn marmoset (Neocallithrix rufus) An inhabitant of lowland coastal forests of northeastern South America, the males of this species have 22 cm of length and the females 21 cm. They have reddish brown fur, with pale grey pelage in their limbs and head. Brown marmoset (Neocallithrix bruneus) An inhabitant of highland forests of northeastern South America, the males of this species have 20 cm of length and the females 19 cm. They have brown fur, with dark grey pelage in their limbs and head.
Áèîëîã: JOrnitho I'll try to adapt to a way that can work to Cyrillic but retaining its meaning Don't worry so much! Cyrillic version can be readily made by transliteration, and the only one question to be solved is the knowledge of phonetics. Keep in mind that some languages do not use diacritics at all but still have various sounds of the same letter (English is a great example). By the way, I have more two descriptions of mammals. Thank you again! Good work!
JOrnitho: I have two more descriptions, this time of more two birds. These were taking dust in my archive since 2018. Great magnificent booby (Austrosula magnificens) Order: Suliformes Family: Sulidae Habitat: Tropical and temperate areas of the Southern Atlantic, nesting in islands and coastal areas of South America and Africa During the Holocene, human interference in nature caused the extinction of many species. Those that were lucky enough to survive, left behind descendants in the Neocene. The family Sulidae was one of these survivors, leaving descendants that filled several different niches. While some like the gannetwhales became very different from their ancestors, some remained with a familiar appearance. The Genus Austrosula maintained a morphology and lifestyle similar to that of their booby ancestors. The type species of this genus is the great magnificent booby, a bird that inhabits the tropical and temperate areas of the Southern Atlantic, nesting in islands and coastal areas of South America and Africa. The great magnificent booby is sexually dimorphic, with the female reaching 87 cm of length and wingspan of 157 cm, while the male reaches 77 cm of length with a wingspan of 149 cm. Outside the breeding season, both have similar plumage, their upper body and neck is black, while the head is white. The feathers of the belly, chest and wings are white. Their tail feathers are also white and have black tips. The bare skin of their faces is pale red, their legs and feet are this same color. Their beaks are yellow. During the mating season, the bare skin of the males becomes bright red and they develop white tufts on their heads, coming from over their eyes, like eyebrows. Their return to the non-breeding appearance during late spring, when the time to form pairs ended. Like their ancestors, the great magnificent booby feeds on small fish and squid that they catch by plunging into the ocean at high speed. This species have preference for foraging close to the coast. They will also occasionally catch leaping fish while skimming the surface. The pairs of magnificent boobies remain together for several seasons. During the mating season, they perform elaborate rituals. The males are always the first to arrive in the breeding grounds. They select a suitable place for the nests to be built, sometimes even the one that they used in the last season. Once it was done and they successfully defended it from rivals, the females will start to arrive. The courtship of this species consists of the male flaunting his red feet and dancing to impress the female. The male begins by showing his feet, strutting in front of the female. Then, he bows to the female, showing off his head and the tufts. The dance continues with the "sky-pointing", which involves the male pointing his head and bill up to the sky while keeping the wings and tail raised. It ends with the male presenting nest materials and with a final display of his feet. This bird nests in large colonies. The female lays two or three chalky blue eggs, about four to five days apart. Both male and female take turns incubating the eggs, while the nonsitting bird keeps watch. Their nests are made of vegetation. They do not have brood patches, but their feet is very vascularized and hot, and the birds place the eggs under the webs. Eggs lost during the first half of incubation are replaced. The magnificent booby usually raises just one chick, the second one to hatch being unable to compete for food with its older sibling, or even ejected from the nest by it. The incubation period is 44 days. The male and female share parental responsibilities. The male provides food for the young in the first part of their lives because of his specialized diving. The female takes over when the demand is higher. Chicks feed off the regurgitated fish in the adult's mouth. The adults feed their offspring for around 13 weeks, right up until the time they leave. The young birds fledge with 87 days old. Sexual maturity is reached with 2 years and their lifespan is of 27 years. Other representatives of the Genus Austrosula are: Antartic magnificent booby (Austrosula australis) Nesting in islands and coastal areas of Antarctica, this bird spends the winter at the sea. The females are larger than the males, having 82 cm of length and 154 cm of wingspan. The males have 71 cm of length and 143 cm of wingspan. Their plumage is similar to that of their Tropical relatives, with the exception of the neck and head that are white. The males also develop tufts over their eyes, but they are longer than that of the Greater magnificent booby. The bare skin in their face, legs and feet is pale orange outside of the nesting season, becoming bright on the males during it. Lesser magnificent booby (Austrosula minor) Nesting in islands and coastal areas of the Indian Ocean, this species is the smallest of the Genus. The females are larger than the males, having 73 cm of length and 137 cm of wingspan. The males have 67 cm of length and 132 cm of wingspan. They are totally white, with the exception of the neck and wings. The males also develop tufts over their eyes, but they are shorter than that of any other representative of the genus, giving the impression that they really have eyebrows. The bare skin in their face, legs and feet is pale yellow outside of the nesting season, becoming bright on the males during it. Mustached magnificent booby (Austrosula pacifica) This species nests in islands and coastal areas of the Southern Pacific Ocean. The females are larger than the males, having 83 cm of length and 155 cm of wingspan. The males have 77 cm of length and 144 cm of wingspan. They are mostly slate-gray, with the exception of the head and belly that are white. The males develop tufts of feathers over their beaks, giving the impression that they have a mustache. The bare skin in their face, legs and feet is pale greenish-yellow outside of the nesting season, becoming bright on the males during it. Pygmy nocturnal heron (Noctiardea minima) Order: Pelecaniformes Family: Ardeidae Habitat: Amazon rainforest, close to swamps and streams The human actions during the Neocene caused the extinction of many species. However some survived and in the Neocene they give rise to new species. One case is the pygmy nocturnal heron, a descendant of the zigzag heron (Zebrilus undulates). This bird lives in the Amazon rainforest. These animals are nocturnal, resting during the day hidden between branches of trees near water. Pygmy nocturnal herons are small birds, with 29 cm of height and a wingspan of 46 cm. Adult plumage is dark grey with a pale underbelly. Juveniles have a dark back with a pale brown head and underside. The legs are yellow and short for a heron. The beak is bluish-grey. Their eyes are large and have a more developed tapetum lucidum. These birds feed on insects, such as grasshoppers and water bugs, spiders, small fish, crabs, snails and frogs. Its hunts at night, feeding on moist soil, turning the cover of leaves from the forest floor or mud around shallow pools in marshy areas in search of preys, doing it silently and unobtrusively by standing and by walking slowly. Pygmy nocturnal herons lives solitary or in pairs. It makes its nest in trees at the water's edge at low altitude from the ground or water. The nest is a shallow platform of twigs, where the female lays 2 pure white eggs. The eggs are incubated by both parents for 25 days. The young fledge with 28 days. These birds reach sexual maturity with 4 years and their lifespan is of 19 years.
ïîëíàÿ âåðñèÿ ñòðàíèöû