Jamaican poorwill facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Jamaican poorwill |
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| Illustration by George Edward Lodge, 1907 | |
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Siphonorhis
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| Species: |
americana
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The Jamaican poorwill (Siphonorhis americana) is a special bird from Jamaica. It is a type of nightjar, which are birds known for flying at night. This bird is also called the Jamaican pauraque or Jamaican least pauraque. Sadly, this bird hasn't been seen since 1860. Scientists are not sure if it still exists today.
Contents
About the Jamaican Poorwill
How Scientists Name Animals
The first official description of the Jamaican poorwill was made in 1758. A Swedish scientist named Carl Linnaeus gave it the name Caprimulgus americanus. He wrote about it in his book Systema Naturae. Scientists use special names, like Siphonorhis americana, to identify each type of animal. This helps everyone know exactly which animal they are talking about.
What Did the Jamaican Poorwill Look Like?
We only know about the Jamaican poorwill from a few old specimens. These are birds that were collected a long time ago. The last one was found in the mid-1800s. This bird was about 23 to 25 centimeters (9 to 10 inches) long.
Male poorwills had reddish-brown feathers on their backs. They also had dark streaks. A faint reddish-yellow band was around their neck. Their chin and upper throat were reddish. The lower throat was white. Their chest was reddish with thin brown stripes. The belly and sides were yellowish with brown bars and white spots. Their tail was mostly reddish-brown with brown flecks. The tips of most tail feathers were white.
Female poorwills looked similar to males. But they were a bit less reddish overall. Their undersides had more spots. The tips of their tail feathers were yellowish. A unique feature of this bird was its distinct 2 mm long tubular nostrils. These helped tell it apart from similar birds on the mainland.
Where the Jamaican Poorwill Lived
Its Home in Jamaica
The few Jamaican poorwills that were collected came from the southern part of the island. In the early 1800s, people said it was rare. Sometimes it was locally uncommon.
The places where it lived in southern Jamaica were special. These included dry limestone forests at low elevations. It also lived in semi-open woodlands and open country areas.
How the Jamaican Poorwill Lived
What It Ate
Scientists believe the Jamaican poorwill ate insects. It likely caught them while flying at night. This is how other poorwill birds, like the least poorwill, hunt for food.
How It Reproduced
Like other poorwills, the Jamaican poorwill probably laid its eggs on the ground. It would not have built a nest. This is a common behavior for nightjars.
Its Sounds
Sadly, no one ever wrote down what the Jamaican poorwill sounded like. The people who collected these birds did not describe their calls.
Why It's So Rare Today
Its Current Status
The IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) has listed the Jamaican poorwill as "Critically Endangered (Possibly Extinct)". This means it is in extreme danger. It might even be gone forever.
Other groups, like the International Ornithological Committee (IOC), believe it is definitely extinct. It has not been seen for a very long time.
Images for kids
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An illustration of a specimen, from 1725 (top left)
