Black tinamou

Black tinamou
Conservation status
Vulnerable (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Tinamiformes
Family:	Tinamidae
Subfamily:	Tinaminae
Genus:	Tinamus
Species:	T. osgoodi
Binomial name
Tinamus osgoodi Conover, 1949
Sub-species
T. o. osgoodi Conover, 1949 T. o. herskovitzi Blake, 1953

The black tinamou (Tinamus osgoodi) is a species of ground bird found in humid foothill and montane forest in the Andes of South America. This threatened species is among the largest tinamous.

Taxonomy

All tinamou are from the family Tinamidae, and in the larger scheme are also ratites. Unlike other ratites, tinamous can fly, although in general, they are not strong fliers. All ratites evolved from prehistoric flying birds, and tinamous are the closest living relative of these birds. The species was described in 1949 by Henry Boardman Conover based on a specimen from Cusco in Peru.

It has two subspecies:

• T. o. hershkovitzi: Almost entirely restricted to the Colombian Andes, where found at altitudes between 1,400 and 2,100 m (4,600 and 6,900 ft). It is known from the west slope of the East Andes in the Huila Department, and San José de la Fragua on the east slope of the East Andes in the Caquetá Department. Reports from the northern Central Andes in the Antioquia Department in Colombia, and the north-eastern Andes in the Napo and Sucumbíos Provinces in Ecuador likely also involve this subspecies.
• T. o. osgoodi: Found on the east slope of the Peruvian Andes in Cuzco, Puno, Madre de Dios, and Huánuco. It is mainly found at altitudes of 900 to 1,400 m (3,000 to 4,600 ft), but locally occurs up to 2,100 m (6,900 ft).

Description

This species is a large, blackish tinamou. All parts of its body are blackish in color except its sooty brown belly and rufescent vent with black speckling. Black tinamous are 40 to 46 cm (16–18 in) long, with females being a little larger than males. It has a mournful voice with a tremulous and descending whistle lasting about one second.

Behavior

Virtually nothing is known about the behavior of the black tinamou, but it is likely similar to that of its relatives. Nuts have been found in the crop of one specimen.

Reproduction

The only nest known was on the ground and contained 2 glossy blue eggs. In Peru, adults in breeding condition have been recorded between March and November, and a chick was found in February.

Conservation

The black tinamou is rated as Vulnerable by the IUCN with a range occurrence of 11,600 km² (4,500 sq mi). In 2004 it was estimated that fewer than 10,000 remained. There are few recent records from Colombia. It was formerly described as locally common in Peru, but is now rare in that country. The black tinamou has been recorded in several reserves, notably the Megantoni National Sanctuary, Manú National Park and Sira Communal Reserve in Peru, Sumaco Napo-Galeras National Park in Ecuador, and the Cueva de los Guácharos National Park in Colombia.

The black tinamou is threatened by deforestation or los of habitat caused by human settlement expansion, agricultural expansion, road-building, oil exploration in Peru, and it is hunted for food. Even within reserves, hunting and habitat loss are ongoing.