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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 Thank you, good work again!
JOrnitho: Once again a bring to the project some more descriptions about birds. I also have some about plants that I'll post later. Also, I had a question about the Nomad albatross (Thalassocrator magnificus) of the chapter Lord of the Sky. Would be possible for his genus to have other species? Shellfish-eating duck (Pelagotachyeres ostracophagus) Order: Anseriformes Family: Anatidae Habitat: Nests in Antarctic and nearby islands, migrating during the winter to the sea near the coast of Southern South America. 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. One of these survivors was the flying steamer duck (Tachyeres patachonicus), which gave rise to the Genus Pelagotachyeres, with the shellfish-eating duck being its type species. This species nests in Antarctic and nearby islands, migrating during the winter to the sea near the coast of Southern South America. The shellfish-eating duck is a larger species of duck, with 68 cm of length and 97 cm of wingspan. This is a sexual dismorphic species, the male is larger than the female. They have white heads with a bright orange bill. Their webs and feet are orange. The females have brown heads and necks and their bills and feet have a pale yellow color. The rest of the plumage of both sexes is gray on the bodies and white in the bellies This species feeds on mollusks, crustaceans like crabs, and on sea urchins, starfish and sea anemones. They dive using their large feet for propulsion, then they capture and crush the prey by using their beaks, which are strong enough to break the exoskeleton of crustaceans and shells of molluscs. Although they can upend when feeding in shallower waters, they mainly dive to find their prey on the seafloor. This species is monogamous, spending most of its time in small family groups composed of the female, the male and the chicks. However, during the winter, these birds gather in larger groups of up to 300 individuals. During the breeding season, the males become aggressive with others of the same species, attacking them violently to the point of causing severe injuries. Sometimes the female will participate in these attacks. This is the reason why they only stay in pairs during this period. Their mating happens at the sea and is highly ritualized. The male and female begin by dipping their bills into the water at increasingly fast paces before the female submerges almost completely into the water and is mounted by the male, after which the female and male raise their bills high into the air in a hostile fashion and grunt audibly. Once mating has occurred, females lay between 6 and 14 eggs in down-lined nests and incubate them for about 34 days. The males stay with the female to defend the nest and participate in the incubation process only when the female briefly leaves the nest to bathe and preen. The nest is usually located in cliffs near the sea, but can also be built in plain areas near it. After 23 days of incubation, the ducklings will hatch. As soon as it happens, the parents will move with them to the sea. For those that were born in cliffs, the young will need to jump. Their brown and white duvet, small size and very light weight helps to protect them from serious injury when they hit the rocks below, but many die from the impact. After 12 week, the ducklings get their first plumage and sexual maturity is reached after 24 months. Adults can live for up to 20 years old. Another representative of the Genus Pelagotachyeres is the Masked shellfish-eating duck (Pelagotachyeres personatus) this species inhabits the temperate and tropical coast of Southern and Southeastern South America. This species has 64 cm of length and 89 cm of wingspan, with the male being slightly larger than the female. The male and female have white heads and necks. The males have a black patch around their eyes, which is brown on the females. The rest of their plumage is gray, with a chestnut-brown chest. Raptorial gull (Larovenator terribilis) Order: Charadriiformes Family: Laridae Habitat: Pacific and Atlantic coastal areas of South America Some species proved to be capable of surviving human interference. The kelp gull (Larus dominicanus) was one of them. In the Neocene this species give rise to a new one, the raptorial gull. Living in the Pacific and Atlantic coastal areas of South America, this species is an aggressive predator and scavengers. This species is a vagrant in Africa, North America, Eonesia and Europe. The raptorial gull has 82 cm of length and 179 cm of wingspan. The adult bird has black upperparts and wings. The head, underparts, tail, and the wing tips are white. Their thick and powerful bill is yellow with a red tip. Their legs and webbed feet are bright orange. Juveniles have dull legs, a black bill, a dark band in the tail, and an overall grey-brown plumage densely edged whitish. The young stay with this plumage until they reach maturity within five years. The diet of this species is composed of fish, mammals and other birds. Being a successful predator, they are capable of taking down large prey while acting in pairs. Birds that feed on beaches are frequent prey for them the raptorial gull will attack the flocks while they feed, killing those who are left behind during the panic. This gull can also eat carrion, being capable of fighting with vultures and other birds of prey for a carcass. They usually frequent colonies of seabirds where they catch eggs and chicks. When attacking other flying birds, this species often pursue them on the wing and attack them by jabbing with their bill, hoping to bring down the other bird either by creating an open wound or simply via exhaustion; this strategy is used to subdue young boobies and albatrosses when they start to leave their nests. Some individuals learned that, while waiting during the dusk, they may be able to surprise and kill a vesper bird returning to the nest. This species breeds singly, usually in areas close to colonies of other seabirds, thus ensuring food supply to the offspring. Being monogamous, the pair will hunt together, this way being capable of killing large prey. The nest is a shallow depression on the ground lined with vegetation and feathers. The female usually lays 2 or 3 greenish-brown, dark speckled eggs. Both parents participate in the incubation stage, which lasts for approximately 29 days. The breeding pair are devoted parents who both take shifts brooding the young, defending the nest and gathering food. They will attack any intruder approaching its nest. Young raptorial gulls leave the nest area at 52 days of age and remain with their parents for an overall period of around six months. Their lifespan is 32 years. Other species of the Genus Larovenator: Antarctic raptorial gull (Larovenator griseus) Living in the Antarctic Ocean, this species has 80 cm of length and 178 cm of wingspan. It has a white head, neck, breast, and belly, a white tail, and pale gray wings and back. The ends of its wings are white-tipped. Their beak is thick, powerful and yellow with a red subterminal spot. During the winter, this species migrates to Meganesia and New Zealand. Mangrove dove (Columba mangle) Order: Columbiformes Family: Columbidae Habitat: Coastal areas of South America During the Holocene, the man introduced species in other continents. Some of these introduced species were capable to survive in their new habitats and give rise to descendants. The mangrove dove is one of these cases, a descendant of the rock dove (Columba livia). This bird lives in the coastal areas of South America. The mangrove dove has 30 cm of length and a wingspan of 63 cm. Its plumage is mainly light brown in color, becoming darker on the back. The tail and primary flight feathers are dark grey, the bill is red with a conspicuous white cere, and the legs are purple-red. It has a grennish-purple iridescence along its neck and breast feathers. The adult female is almost identical to the male, but the iridescence on her neck is less intense and more restricted to the rear and sides, while that on the breast is often very obscure. This bird eats seeds, berries and invertebrates. The invertebrates are captured when they forage in the mud of mangroves during the low tide, thus the name mangrove dove. They also are seen in areas with sand near the sea searching for small crustaceans, these doves will also eat beached algae and the invertebrates hidden in it. They feed in flocks, this way they use their numbers to avoid predation. They also roost together at mangrove trees during the night. These doves are often found in pairs during the breeding season, but usually these animals are gregarious, living in flocks of 40 birds. The mangrove dove breeds at any time of the year, but peak times are spring and summer. The male on the ground puffs up the feathers on his neck to appear larger. He approaches the female at a rapid walking pace while emitting repetitive quiet notes, often bowing and turning as he comes closer. At first, the female invariably walks or flies a short distance away and the male follows her until she stops. At this point, he continues the bowing motion and very often makes full- or half-pirouettes in front of the female. Nesting sites are along coastal cliff faces. The nest is a flimsy platform of straw and sticks. Two white eggs are laid; incubation, shared by both parents, lasts 17 to 19 days. The newly hatched nestling has pale yellow down and a flesh-coloured bill with a dark band. For the first few days, the chicks are tended and fed exclusively on "crop milk". The fledging period is about 32 days. The young reach sexual maturity with 8 months. The lifespan of this species is of 15 years.
Áèîëîã: JOrnitho Good ones!
JOrnitho: There is some more descriptions of animals for South America. One of them is about a family of descendants of the shearwaters, the others are mammals. Great diving albatross (Diomergulus magnus) Order: Procellariformes Family: Diomergulidae Habitat: Temperate and tropical areas of the Atlantic Ocean, nesting in islands During the Holocene, the 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. In the Neocene a new Family of Procellariiformes appeared, the Order Diomergulidae, the diving albatrosses. These birds aren’t descendants of the modern albatrosses but of shearwaters of the Genus Ardenna, which through evolutionary convergence acquired physical characteristics similar to that of the birds in the Genus Diomedea, thus the name of the Order Diomergulidae, Dio (from Diomedea and Diomedes) + Mergulus (from diving). The type species of this group is the great diving albatross, a bird that lives in temperate and tropical areas of the Atlantic Ocean, nesting in islands. The great diving albatross is a large bird, with 88 cm of length and a wingspan of 207 cm. This species is almost all white with exception of the wings, which are dark brown. Their pale grey bill is large, strong, and sharp-edged, with the upper mandible terminating in a large hook. Running from the top to the sides of the bill there is two “tubes”, long nostrils that are characteristic to the Procellariiformes. Their completely webbed legs are pink, in the same way that their feet. This bird is not good walking on the land; because of this they build their nests in areas near cliffs on islands, this way the birds can more easily launch in the air. The flight is powerful and direct, with their long wings held stiff and straight. The great diving albatross eats fishes, cephalopods and crustaceans. This species prefers to forage in the open sean. They catch their prey by plunge-diving, being capable to reach 65 m in a dive. They use their wings to help swimming underwater in a way similar to a flight; feet are also used to help in their swim. A gregarious species during the nesting season, this bird can be seen in large numbers when feeding. They will also track groups of predatory fish, waiting for their prey to be driven to the sea's surface. They produce a stomach oil that is used both against predators and as an energy rich food source for chicks and for the adults during their flights. Nesting takes place in large colonies in islands. Great diving albatrosses are monogamous and highly philopatric, meaning they usually return to their natal colony to breed. The males are the firsts to arrive at the colonies. They will choose a place for the nest, those who choose the best places will be most likely to attract a female. Fights between the males for a place are common, with them hitting each other with their beaks and wings. After finding a good place for the nest, the male will start to vocalize to attract the attention of a soaring female. If the female accept the male, she will land next to him and they will vocalize together, marking the place that they will construct their nest, after that the pair will preen each other. The nest is a simple depression excavated by the parents and lined with plant material. The female laid only one white egg, which is incubated by both parents for 64 days. Once the chick hatches, the parents raise their chick for 125 days. At first it is fed by its parents every two days, with the feeding frequency reduced as it approaches fledging. Having fledged, the young birds stays at sea until they reach sexual maturity with five years, but only begins to breed with ten years. The great diving albatross lifespan is of 58 years. The Order Diomergulidae has two Genus: The Genus Diomergulus, the Atlantic diving albatrosses. Besides the great diving albatross, other species in this Genus are: Southern diving albatross (Diomergulus australis) Living in the Antarctic Ocean and nesting in islands there, this bird has 90 cm of length and a wingspan of 210 cm. They have white plumage in the neck, face, throat, lower breast, and belly; the other parts are dark brown. Northern diving albatross (Diomergulus borealis) Living in the Arctic Ocean and nesting in islands there, this bird has 84 cm of length and 205 cm of wingspan. They are nearly completely white, with only their primaries and secondaries feathers being dark brown. Brown diving albatross (Diomergulus rufus) The only species living in the Indian Ocean, this species is the smallest of this Genus, with 78 cm of length and a wingspan of 195 cm. They nest in islands near Jacarta Coast and Meganesia. This bird is completely brown, with the exception of the head and throat, which are white. The Genus Solitarimergulus, the pacific diving albatrosses. Differently of the birds in the Genus Diomergulus, which form large breeding colonies, the pacific species are more solitary, forming loose groups with widely spaced nests. Other differences are that their dives are less deep, reaching 45 m, and they are smaller than the Atlantic species. The species in this Genus are: White-fronted diving albatross (Solitarimergulus albifrons) Living in North Pacific, this species has 70 cm of length and 187 cm of wingspan. They are almost completely dark brown, with the exception of their characteristic white forehead. They also have white tail feathers. White-fronted diving albatrosses nests in islands near Japan and Bering Sea, forming small groups. Solitary diving albatross (Solitarimergulus eonesianus) Living in tropical latitudes of the Pacific Ocean, this species has 69 cm of length and 183 cm of wingspan. Their plumage is completely brown, with only the tail feathers being white. The solitary diving albatross only nests in the islands of Eonesia, with the pairs making their nest very far from each other, because of this they are named “solitary”. Sooty diving albatross (Solitarimergulus fuscus) Living in South Pacific, this species has 73 cm of length and a wingspan of 191 cm. They are sooty-brown with dark brown plumage in their wings and white feathers in their tail. The sooty diving albatross nests in islands near New Zealand and the Pacific Coast of Meganesia, forming small groups. Puraheikai, the singing monkey (Tragoudipithecus arachnoides) Order: Primates Family: Atelidae Habitat: Atlantic forests of Southeastern South America The human actions during the Holocene caused the decline of many species. However some species were capable of surviving and giving rise to new creatures in the Neocene, one case is the puraheikai, a primate descending from the howler monkey (Alouatta). The puraheikai is the result of the combination of the Tupi words purahéi, which means “sing”, and ka’i, which means “monkey”, this way meaning “singing monkey”. This species lives in the Atlantic forests of Southeastern South America. Puraheikai are sexually dysmorphic, males have a dark brown fur and are large than the females, with a head-body length of 76 cm, with a prehensile tail of 80 cm. Females are pale brown and have a head-body length of 63 cm, a tail length of 73 cm. Both sexes have long limbs and the strong prehensile tail acts as a fifth member. The young males have fur similar to the female until reaching sexual maturity at the age of 5 years. These primates are frugivorous and folivorous, but flowers are also consumed. To drink water, the wet their hands on moist leaves, and then lick the it off their hands. These animals form family groups, with a mated pair and their offspring. They inhabit a firm territory, which they protect by warding off other puraheikai with their calls. Each morning, the family gathers on the edge of its territory and begins a "great symphony", the father starts to vocalize and is followed by the mother, the offspring follow then afterward with the older vocalizing first and the young ending it. Puraheikai retain the same mate for life, although they do not always remain sexually monogamous. Mating occurs during all the year, but most conceptions occur during the dry season, with a peak in births during the late rainy season, when the trees start to produce flowers. Gestation is six months long and pregnancies are usually of a single young. Young are nursed for approximately two years, and full maturity comes at about eight years. The life expectancy of the puraheikai is about 25 years. Kure, or South American wild boar (Sus silvaticus) Order: Artiodactyla Family:Suidae Habitat: Tropical areas of South America from savannas and woodlands to forests During the Holocene, man introduced species in other continents. Some of these introduced species were capable of surviving in their new habitats and giving rise to descendants. The monteiro hog is one case; these animals are descendants of hybrids of feral pigs and wild boar which were introduced in South America. The name Kure means pig in the Guarani language. These animals live in the tropical areas of South America from savannas and woodlands to forests. These animals are lightly built with short and relatively thin legs and they have average 80 cm of shoulder height and average 140 cm of body length. Males are slightly larger than females and have large tusks, which they use to fight during mating season. Their fur is dark grey with white markings around the eyes and on the cheeks and jaws and there is the presence of a mane running from the head to the middle of the back which can stay upright when they are excited. The fur of young is yellowish brown until they are 8 months old. This species is omnivorous, eating mainly roots and tubers, and supplements its diet with fruit, grasses, herbs, eggs, dead animal and plant remains, insects, and lizards. It uses its large muzzle to snuffle about in the soil in search of food, as well as scraping the ground with their tusks and fore-feet. The kure is a diurnal feeder, and performs all of its activities during the day, more specifically in the mornings and afternoons. They live in large mixed herds, with up to 200 individuals. The kure can spend up to two-thirds of its day traveling and feeding. The kure can breed throughout the year if the conditions are favorable. Males fight brutally to the right of mating with females. The gestation lasts for 130 days and the female gives birth to a litter of 4-10 piglets in a nest constructed from twigs, grasses and leaves. The piglets do not leave the lair for their first week of life. Should the mother be absent, the piglets lie closely pressed to each other. By two weeks of age, the piglets begin accompanying their mother on her journeys. Should danger be detected, the piglets take cover or stand immobile, relying on their camouflage to keep them hidden. They are weaned until the 4 months. The sexual maturity is reached with 2 years and the lifespan of the species is of 14 years, however many die young.
Áèîëîã: JOrnitho Good ones! Added to the catalogue.
JOrnitho: I have three new bird descriptions. Two of them are about descendants of North American birds that migrated to South America during the Ice Age and ended staying here. Black-headed cardinal (Cardinalis nigrocephalus) 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 species. One of these new species was the black-headed cardinal, a descendant of the northern cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis). Their habitat is the tropical forests of Northern and Northeastern South America. The black-headed cardinal is a mid-sized songbird with a body length of 21–24 cm and a wingspan of 25–31 cm. The male is slightly larger than the female. The adult male is a brilliant crimson red color with a black head and a reddish orange crest. The color becomes duller and darker on his back and wings. The female is brown, with mostly grayish-brown tones and a slight reddish tint on the wings, the crest, and the tail feathers. The females head is dark grey. Both sexes possess prominent raised crests and bright coral-colored beaks. The beak is cone-shaped and strong. Young birds, of both sexes, show coloring similar to the adult female until their first year, when they reach sexual maturity. Their diet consists mainly of seeds and fruits. It will also consume insects, including beetles, cicadas, grasshoppers, and snails; it feeds its young almost exclusively on insect The black-headed cardinal is a territorial song bird. The male sings in a loud, clear whistle from the top of a tree or another high location to defend his territory. He will chase off other males entering his territory. Pairs mate for life and stay together year-round. Mated pairs sing together before nesting. During courtship they participate in a bonding behavior where the male collects food and brings it to the female, feeding her beak-to-beak. If the mating is successful, this mate-feeding may continue throughout the period of incubation. The male bring nest material to the female, who does most of the building. The female builds a cup nest in a well-concealed spot in a tree. Three or four eggs are laid and incubated by the female for 13 to 14 days. Young fledge 11 to 12 days after hatching. Two to three, and even four, broods are raised each year. The male cares for and feeds each brood as the female incubates the next clutch of eggs. Their lifespan is 12 years. Red-faced waxbill (Estrilda rubrorostris) During the Holocene, man introduced species in other continents. Some of these introduced species were capable of surviving in their new habitats and give rise to descendants. The red-faced waxbill is one of these cases, a descendant of the common waxbill (Estrilda astrild). This bird lives in the plains of Central South America. This bird is small, with 12 cm of length. It has a slender body with short rounded wings and a long graduated tail. The adults have a bright red bill. Their plumage is mostly grey-brown, finely barred with dark brown. In both sexes their head is red. They have a reddish stripe along the center of the belly. Females are similar to the males but are paler with less red on the belly and a dull red. Juveniles are duller with little or no red on the belly and head, fainter dark barring and a black bill, until they reach sexual maturity with 10 months. The red-faced waxbill has a variety of twittering and buzzing calls and a distinctive high-pitched flight-call. The simple song is harsh and nasal and descends on the last note. Their diet consists mainly of grass seeds and insects are also eaten on occasions, which are eaten in great quantities during the breeding season when more protein is needed. The waxbills typically forage in flocks which may contain hundreds or even thousands of birds. They usually feed by clinging to the stems with their long, spindly claws and picking from the flower heads but they will also search for fallen seeds on the ground. They need to drink regularly as the seeds contain little water. The nest is a large ball of grass stems with a long downward-pointing entrance tube on one side. It is built in a tree and being a species that forms large flocks, a tree can end up being filled with several nests. A rudimentary second nest may be built on top where the male sleeps. Four to seven white eggs are laid. They are incubated for 11 to 13 days and the young birds fledge 17 to 21 days after hatching. Both parents take part in incubating the eggs and feeding the chicks. The juveniles are independent for 26 days. The lifespan of this species is 7 years. Scarlet-chested grosbeak (Pheucticus rubropectus) 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 species. One of these new species was the scarlet-chested grosbeak, a descendant of the rose-breasted grosbeak (Pheucticus ludovicianus). It lives in the plains of Central South America. The scarlet-chested grosbeak is a small passerine, with 18 cm of length and wingspan of 27 cm. The adult males have a black plumage on head, wings, back, and tail, and a bright red plumage on its chest, which is the main characteristic of the species. The females have dark grey-brown upperparts – darker on wings and tail –, a white supercilium, a buff stripe along the top of the head, and black-streaked white underparts. The young of both sexes have plumage similar to the female until they reach sexual maturity with one year, when the males acquire adult plumage. The scarlet-chested grosbeak forages in shrubs or trees for insects, seeds and berries, also catching insects in flight and occasionally eating nectar. It usually keeps to the treetops, and only rarely can be seen on the ground. Both the male and the female participate in selecting and building the nest, which is on a tree branch. Clutches are from 3 to 5 eggs, being pale blue with brownish red spotting. Males help the female with the incubation, which lasts from 11 to 14 days. The young grosbeaks typically fledge at 13 days of age and are independent of their parents after approximately 3 weeks. Their lifespan is 13 years.
Áèîëîã: JOrnitho And again, good species!
JOrnitho: There is the description about the descendant of the goat living in the Andes. Andean antelope (Spirocapris andinus) Order: Artiodactyla Family: Bovidae Habitat: Andean Plateau, doing seasonal migrations During the Holocene, human interference caused the extinction of many species. Many species were introduced due to different reasons, some due to ornamental while other because of their importance in agriculture and pecuary. The domestic goat (Capra aegagrus hircus), was an important part of the economy. With the disappearance of the humans, these animals remained and continued to evolve. In the Neocene, they give rise to the Andean antelope. This species inhabits the Andean Plateau, doing seasonal migrations The Andean antelope has its name due to their antilopine appearance. They have slender legs and a relatively long neck, they are capable of standing on their hindlegs and are relatively fast, running 70 km/h in flat ground. This species is sexually dimorphic; the male is taller than the female, with 120 cm at the shoulder, while females have 90 cm. The tail is 45 cm long, with a white tuft at the end. Females and juveniles have chestnut to dark brown fur, while males begin darkening and turn black after reaching maturity. Calves less than two months old are a light tan and show faint markings. The underparts, cheek, and chin of both sexes are white, creating a contrast with the dark back and flanks. Males have long ringed and spiraled horns, which can grow as long as 110 cm, while the females are hornless. The males also have an upright mane on its neck. They are adapted to the climate of the Andean Plateau, with their fur becoming thicker during the winter. It's shedded during the beginning of the spring. This mammal is generally a mixed feeder between a browser and a grazer, depending on the plant availability in their home range. They feed on foliage of bushes as well as trees, shoots, herbs, flowers, grass, forbs and leafy weeds. It can reach higher branches and twigs by standing erect on its hindlegs and elongating its neck; this helps it reach over for leaves and occasional fruits. The Andean antelope live in herds of 50 to 100 individuals, the group is led by an older female, a matriarch. Adult males can transit from a herd to another and sometimes can form all male herds, during the mating season they stay a long period in one herd for breeding purposes, doing courtship displays. The male pursues the female with his nose pointing upward, smells her urine and shows a flehmen response. The female shows her receptivity by waving her tail and thumping the hindlegs on the ground. This is followed by several mounting attempts, and copulation. Breeding usually takes place during the middle of the dry season, during this time the males compete for the females; their antagonistic behavior can come in the form of "direct" or "indirect" aggression. With direct aggression, one male bumps another with its horns or places itself in front of its opponent. It stands on its hind legs and comes down on his opponent with its horns. This may signal that it is ready to clash or it may be attempting a real clash, sometimes these fights can inflict serious injuries. Indirect aggression is mostly intimidation displays. During the beginning of the rainy season, the female will migrate up to 300 km to give birth to one or two offspring in specific calving grounds, usually near lakes or other freshwater reservoirs. The juvenile male is exiled from the herd around one year old, however all of the female calves remain. When the herd gets too large, it divides into smaller groups of females and their young. The young males, which have been separated from the herd, associate in "bachelor groups" of up to 12 individuals. They stay in these groups until reach sexual maturity at the three years. The females mature at two years old. This species' lifespan is 23 years.
Áèîëîã: JOrnitho Good species!
JOrnitho: Some other descriptions of descendants of North American birds that settled in South America due to the Ice Age White-chested bunting (Passerina leucopecta) Order: Passeriformes Family: Cardinalidae Habitat: Forests of Southeastern 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 species. One of these new species was the white-chested bunting, a descendant of hybrids between the indigo bunting (Passerina cyanea) and the lazuli bunting (Passerina amoena). It lives in the forests of Southeastern South America. The white-chested bunting is a small songbird. It measures 13 cm long, with a wingspan of 21 cm. The adult males have a vibrant cerulean blue plumage in their head and back. The wings and tail are black with cerulean blue edges. Their chest and belly is white. The adult female is brown on the upperparts and lighter brown on the underparts, with a grey belly. Both sexes have white wingbars. The beak is short and conical. In the adult female, the beak is light brown tinged with blue, and in the adult male the upper half is brownish-black while the lower is light blue. The feet and legs are black or gray. The juveniles’ plumage is similar to the female until they reach sexual maturity at 2 months, at this age the young males acquire the blue coloration of the adults. These birds eat mostly seeds and insects. They may feed conspicuously on the ground or in bushes, but singing males are often very elusive in treetops. These birds are generally monogamous but not always faithful to their partner. They make a loose cup nest of grasses and rootlets placed in a low tree. It lays three or four pale blue eggs, which are incubated for 12 to 13 days. Chicks fledge 10 to 12 days after hatching. Most pairs raise two broods per year, and the male may feed newly fledged young while the females incubate the next clutch of eggs. The lifespan of this species is of 8 years. Tropical waxwing (Bombycilla tropicalis) Order: Passeriformes Superfamily: Bombycilloidea Family: Bombycillidae Habitat: Amazon rainforest 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 species. One of these new species was the tropical waxwing, a descendant of the cedar waxwing (Bombycilla cedrorum). It lives in the Amazon rainforest. This bird has 17 cm of length and a wingspan of 30 cm. Both sexes are similar with a brownish-grey plumage and a conspicuous crest on its head. It has a black mask through the eyes. The lower belly is a rich chestnut color and there are cinnamon-colored areas around the mask. The primaries and secondaries are red, being brighter in the males. The tip of their rectrices is orange. The beak and legs are dark grey. Tropical waxwings feed mostly on fruits and berries. Insects become an important part of the diet in the breeding season. Sometimes, these birds will eat fruit that is overripe and has begun to ferment, intoxicating them. These birds are sociable, staying in flocks year round. They are non-territorial birds and will often groom each other. They move from place to place depending on where they can find good sources of food. Nesting season for this bird begins during the end of autumn. The male will do a "hopping dance" for the female. If she is interested, she'll hop back. During courtship the male and female will sit together and pass small objects back and forth, such as flower petals or an insect. Mating pairs will sometimes rub their beaks together affectionately. The nest is a loose open cup built with grass and twigs, lined with softer materials and supported by a tree branch. Usually 5 or 6 eggs are laid and the female incubates them for 12 days. The eggs are bluish grey with irregular, dark brown spots. Both parents build the nest and feed the young. Young leave the nest about 14 to 18 days after hatching. The tropical waxwing reach sexual maturity with 1 year and its lifespan is of 12 years.
Áèîëîã: JOrnitho Good ones again!
JOrnitho: Some days ago I posted the description of some birds that originated from North American species that settled in South America during the Ice Age. I was thinking if you have suggestions of other species that could also do it.
Áèîëîã: JOrnitho I was thinking if you have suggestions of other species that could also do it. It could be any bird forced out of its natural habitat by some drastic changes, say, in climate or food access.
JOrnitho: Áèîëîã ïèøåò: It could be any bird forced out of its natural habitat by some drastic changes, say, in climate or food access. Yes. At first I thought about only migratory birds, but do you think that some non-migratory like the American crow could be forced South due to the Ice Age too?
Áèîëîã: JOrnitho do you think that some non-migratory like the American crow could be forced South due to the Ice Age American crow? It might. It is omnivorous and it does migrate south from Canada in winter. So it could migrate even more south to Mexico or further.
JOrnitho: Áèîëîã ïèøåò: So it could migrate even more south to Mexico or further. Maybe it could have reached Mexico and spread into South America before the Panama strait was totally broken.
Áèîëîã: JOrnitho Yes, why not.
JOrnitho: After what we discussed, I made a description for the descendant of the American crow in South America and a related species in Mexico. Guyrauna (Corvus notus) Order: Passeriformes Family: Corvidae Habitat: Tropical and temperate South America, living from the Amazon rainforest to the Araucaria forests. The end of the Holocene was marked by several climatic changes, one of them was an Ice Age. During this period, some species moved to regions with a warm climate, among them was the American crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos). Due to the cooler temperatures of North America, individuals of this species moved down, crossed the Panama Isthmus before it was broken and reached South America. There, they continued to evolve and in the Neocene they gave rise to a new species, the guyrahun. Its common name is formed by two Tupi-guarani words: Guyra (bird) and una (black). This species is widespread across tropical and temperate South America, living from the Amazon rainforest to the Araucaria forests. Guyraunas are large birds, with 53 cm of length and a wingspan of 102 cm. Like their ancestors, these birds have their bodies covered by black iridescent feathers. However, they developed white patches in their wings. Both their beak and feet is black. These birds are omnivorous, with their diet changing according to the region where they live. They will feed on invertebrates of all types, fruits, carrion, Araucaria pine nuts, seeds, eggs, nestlings and stranded fish on the shore. Guyraunas are active hunters and will prey on rodents, lizards, frogs, and other small animals. They are among the first birds to arrive in a carcass, feeding fast to avoid larger scavengers, such as vultures and birds of prey. Being clever birds like their ancestors, these animals are capable of modifying and using tools to obtain food. Guyraunas are socially monogamous birds, breeding in a cooperative way. The mated pairs form large families of up to 15 individuals from several breeding seasons. The offspring from a previous nesting season will usually remain with the family to assist in rearing new nestlings. These birds do not reach breeding age for at least three years, which is the time when they leave the family. They build bulky stick nests, nearly always in trees but sometimes also in large bushes and, very rarely, on the ground. Three to six eggs are laid and incubated for 18 days. The young are usually fledged by about 36 days after hatching. Their lifespan is 23 years, but many of them are killed by predators before reaching this age. Their closest relative is the Mexican crow (Corvus mexicanus), another descendant of the American crow. Living from the Mexican Plateau to the tropical forests near the Panama Strait, this species has the same plumage of their relatives in South America, but is smaller with 47 cm of length and a wingspan of 95 cm
Áèîëîã: JOrnitho Good one!
JOrnitho: I found in my archives the description of a genus of small opossum. Common sugar opossum (Nectarivora nectarivora) Order: Didelphimorphia Family: Didelphidae Habitat: Forests of the Atlantic coast of South America. With the end of the Holocene, new genera appeared. The genus Nectarivora is one of them, members of this group are the sugar opossums, small marsupials that feed mostly on nectar. The type species of this genus is the common sugar opossum which lives in the forests of the Atlantic coast of South America. These animals have a body length of 9 cm with an 11 cm long prehensile tail. They have large round ears. The fur is beige on its upperparts and pale grey bellow. The eyes are large, showing their preference for nocturnal habits. Sugar opossums feed mostly on nectar and pollen, using its tongue to have access to it in the flowers. When flowers are not available, these animals will eat soft fruits and mostly insects. These marsupials are solitary and spend the day in nests built on tree holes. This species breeds year around when the climate is suitable, being able to raise up to six litters of six to eleven young each during a good year. Gestation lasts 14 days, after which the young attach to a teat, where they remain for the next two week. The female can have a litter with 2 to 8 young. They grow hair at around 3 weeks, open their eyes about a week later, and are weaned at 8 weeks. This species reach sexual maturity with 6 months and have a lifespan of 5 years. Other species in the genus Nectarivora: Grey sugar opossum (Nectarivora grisea) Living the Amazon rainforest, this animal has a body length of 10 cm and a tail of 11 cm. Its fur is grey with a white underbelly. The ears are large and round. Masked sugar opossum (Nectarivora andina) Living in the forests at the foothill of the Andes, this animal has a body length of 8 cm and a tail of 11 cm. Its fur is grayish brown with a pale brown underbelly. Their main characteristic is a dark patch across their eyes, similar to a mask.
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