Magdalena tinamou facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Magdalena tinamou |
|
|---|---|
Scientific classification  |
|
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Tinamiformes |
| Family: | Tinamidae |
| Genus: | Crypturellus |
| Species: | |
| Subspecies: |
C. e. saltuarius
|
| Trinomial name | |
| Crypturellus erythropus saltuarius Wetmore, 1950
|
|
| Synonyms | |
|
Crypturellus saltuarius Wetmore, 1950 |
|
The Magdalena tinamou (Crypturellus erythropus saltuarius) is a special bird. It belongs to the tinamou family, which is one of the oldest bird families on Earth! This bird lives only in the Magdalena River Valley in Colombia. This means it is endemic to that area.
For a long time, people thought the Magdalena tinamou might be extinct. There were no confirmed sightings since 1943. But good news came! People living in the area reported seeing it in the 1970s and 1980s. An individual was even kept by someone until the early 1990s. Also, small parts of its forest home still exist. In 2008, a new record was made, and the bird was officially rediscovered in 2023!
Sometimes, scientists think of the Magdalena tinamou as its own species. Other times, they see it as a subspecies of the red-legged tinamou. The SACC decided not to make it a separate species. They said there wasn't enough proof. Because of this, BirdLife International removed the Magdalena tinamou from the 2008 IUCN Red List.
Contents
What's in a Name?
The scientific name for the Magdalena tinamou is Crypturellus erythropus saltuarius. The first part, Crypturellus, comes from three Latin or Greek words. Kruptos means covered or hidden. Oura means tail. And ellus means small or diminutive. So, Crypturellus means "small hidden tail." This name fits because tinamous are known for their short, often hidden tails.
What Does It Look Like?
The Magdalena tinamou is a medium-sized bird. It looks quite similar to the red-legged tinamou. It is about 27 to 32 centimeters (11 to 13 inches) long.
This bird has dark reddish-brown feathers on its upper body. It has black stripes on its rump, which is the lower back area. Its wings are brown with buff-colored (light yellowish-brown) stripes. The feathers on its belly are lighter. It also has dark stripes on its lower sides and under its tail. Its chin is white, and its throat has a grayish color.
Where Does It Live?
The first Magdalena tinamou ever studied was found in Ayacucho. This area is in the Cesar Department of Colombia. Another bird was found near Mariquita in the Tolima Department. Both places are in the Magdalena River Valley.
Scientists used to think this bird lived in dry forests and savannas. But now, they believe it mostly lives in certain types of forests. It might still be found in the remaining forests on the western side of the Cordillera Oriental mountains. It could also live on the eastern side of the Serranía de San Lucas mountains. The first bird was found at about 150 meters (490 feet) high. The second was found at about 500 meters (1,640 feet) high.
Why Is It in Danger?
The Magdalena tinamou is likely in danger because of hunting. Its home is also being destroyed by deforestation. This means forests are being cut down. The land where it lives has been changed a lot for farming.
Large parts of the Magdalena River Valley were turned into pastures or farms a long time ago. More wet forests were cleared in the 1960s and 1970s. This happened during a government plan to develop the area. Now, flat parts of the valley are used to grow rice and cotton. Hilly areas have been turned into grazing land for animals. This means only about 1% to 2% of the old forests are left.
What's Being Done to Help?
Even though its habitat is shrinking, recent research shows the bird might still be alive. Local people have shared information about seeing them. Tinamous are known to be very shy and hard to find.
In 2008, a Colombian ornithologist (bird scientist) named Oswaldo Cortés made a recording of the bird. This was near where the first bird was found. This recording was the first ever of the Magdalena tinamou! Scientists hope it will help them learn more about whether it's a separate species or a subspecies. Comparing its calls to other red-legged tinamous could help solve this mystery. Before this recording, scientists didn't have much information beyond what the bird looked like.
Right now, there are no specific conservation plans for the Magdalena tinamou. However, some ideas have been suggested. Scientists want to do more bird surveys and talk to local people. They want to search in areas like San Calixto/Convención and the foothills of the Cordillera Oriental. They also want to look in the eastern foothills of Serranía de San Lucas.
Another idea is to use aerial photographs to find any remaining forest patches. This would help them understand where the birds might still live. Scientists also want to confirm the bird's exact scientific status.
Conservation Status
As mentioned, the Magdalena tinamou was removed from the IUCN Red List. This is because it is now considered a subspecies of the widespread red-legged tinamou. In 2006, the Magdalena tinamou was listed as Critically Endangered. This is a very serious category. Before that, in 1994, it was listed as Endangered.
