#small billed tinamou

[squawkoverflow]

A new variant has been added!

Small-billed Tinamou (Crypturellus parvirostris) © Luiz Alberto Santos

It hatches from agricultural, brown, common, last, long, low, notable, purple, red, scalloped, similar, small, striking, and unobtrusive eggs.

squawkoverflow - the ultimate bird collecting game          🥚 hatch    ❤️ collect     🤝 connect

[na-bird-of-the-day]

BOTD: White Hawk

Photo: Estación Biológica Las Guacamayas

"The White Hawk is a reptile hunter - feeding mainly on snakes and lizards. However, its long menu of prey items doesn't stop there. It also enjoys snacking on small mammals, including rats, squirrels, small opossums and bats. Researchers have documented the White Hawk feeding on a number of bird species including Keel-billed Toucan, a Mottled Owl, a White-breasted Wood Wren and a Great Tinamou - which is quite a large bird. One researcher in Suriname found remains of a fish in a White Hawk's stomach."

- The Peregrine Fund

[koval-ptaki-birds]

172) Crypturellus parvirostris; kusacz krótkodzioby, small-billed tinamou (kusacz drobnodzioby) - gatunek tinamou powszechnie występującym w suchej sawannie w amazońskiej Ameryce Południowej.

Kusacz drobnodzioby to gatunek monotypowy. Podobnie jak inne kusacze, zjadają owoce z ziemi lub nisko rosnących krzewów. Zjadają również niewielkie ilości bezkręgowców, pąki kwiatowe, delikatne liście, nasiona i korzenie. Samiec wysiaduje jaja, które mogą pochodzić od nawet 4 różnych samic, a następnie wychowuje je, aż będą gotowe do samodzielnego życia, zwykle 2–3 tygodnie. Gniazdo znajduje się na ziemi w gęstych zaroślach lub między podniesionymi korzeniami.

Kusacze drobnodziobe są uważane za idealnych kandydatów do udomowienia, ponieważ mogą wychowywać 3-4 lęgi rocznie i są odporne na choroby atakujące kury. Kusacze drobnodziobe preferują suchą sawannę, ale będą również zamieszkiwać nizinne zarośla. Jego zasięg obejmuje Amerykę Południową Amazonii; Brazylię z wyjątkiem południowo-wschodniej części, północno-wschodnie Peru, wschodnią Boliwię, Paragwaj i północno-wschodnią Argentynę. IUCN klasyfikuje tego kusacza jako gatunek najmniejszej troski, z zasięgiem występowania wynoszącym 6 700 000 km2 (2 600 000 mil kwadratowych).

[coppercookie]

My favourite tinamids

[a-dinosaur-a-day]

Euryapteryx curtus

By Jack Wood

Etymology: Broad Lacker of Wings

First Described By: Haast, 1874

Classification: Dinosauromorpha, Dinosauriformes, Dracohors, Dinosauria, Saurischia, Eusaurischia, Theropoda, Neotheropoda, Averostra, Tetanurae, Orionides, Avetheropoda, Coelurosauria, Tyrannoraptora, Maniraptoriformes, Maniraptora, Pennaraptora, Paraves, Eumaniraptora, Averaptora, Avialae, Euavialae, Avebrevicauda, Pygostylia, Ornithothoraces, Euornithes, Ornithuromorpha, Ornithurae, Neornithes, Palaeognathae, Notopalaeognathae, Tinamiformes + Dinornithiformes Clade, Dinornithiformes, Emeidae

Status: Extinct

Time and Place: Between 130,000 and 600 years ago, from the Chibanian of the Pleistocene and the Holocene 

The Broad-Billed Moa is known from all over the New Zealand islands, especially lowland dunes, forests, shrublands, and grasslands 

Physical Description: The Broad-Billed Moa was a large, bulky dinosaur, covered in very shaggy feathers all over its body. It had a long neck, ending in a small head, with a wide bill - hence the name! It also had very sturdy, thick feet. These birds - like all Moa - entirely lost their wings, giving them a fairly boxy appearance. Their shaggy feathers would have been somewhat monochromatic, as well. These birds would grow up to one meter long, and females of this species were probably larger than the males. 

Diet: The Broad-Billed Moa was an herbivore, grazing on a wide variety of plant material (including grass). 

By Michael B. H., CC BY-SA 3.0 

Behavior: These birds would have been somewhat slower animals, spending most of their time lumbering about the coasts and plains of New Zealand, and eating most of the plant material they could find. They probably would eat as much food as they could, using their broad bills to grab more food and to not selectively browse on specific plants. They also probably herded together, forming loose groups as they roamed across the fields for food. These birds probably took care of their young, though how and to what extent is uncertain as it varies quite a bit amongst other ratites. 

Ecosystem: New Zealand in the Pleistocene and Holocene was an extremely unique ecosystem, one of the few places in the world largely free of mammals during the Cenozoic. This meant that birds tended to fill the niches of mammals, doing things that ancient non-avian dinosaurs used to do. In addition, the lack of mammalian predators allowed for extensive diversification of birds even within their usual niches - the weird New Zealand Wrens, for example, are some of the most unique types of perching birds.  

By Scott Reid 

This environment consisted of many other Moas, such as Pachyornis, Anomalopteryx, and Dinornis just to name a few; the aforementioned Kiwi bird; and other large weird birds like the Kākāpō and Kea and Kākā, other parrots, other passerines, cuckoos, swifts, water birds, owls, and more. During the days of the Moa, there was also the Haast’s Eagle, a large predator of Moa that would have been a huge thorn in the side of the Broad-Billed Moa. Also, there were Adzebills, weird relatives of living cranes that also filled the large land bird niche but with pointier beaks. In short, this was a modern-day Jurassic park, prior to being screwed up by human colonization and hunting, which drove many of these unique animals to extinction in the early modern period of history.

Other: For a long time, Moa like Euryapteryx were thought to be closely related to the other weird ratite of New Zealand, the Kiwi. However, later research revealed they were more closely related to the Tinamous of South America. What this shows is that, at some point, relatives of the Tinamous flew over to New Zealand, and colonized the island before becoming large, flightless weirdos.

~ By Meig Dickson

Sources Under the Cut 

Bunce, M., T. H. Worthy, M. J. Phillips, R. N. Holdaway, E. Willerslev, J. Haile, B. Shapiro, R. P. Scofield, A. Drummond, P. J. J. Kamp, and A. Cooper. 2009. The evolutionary history of the extinct ratite moa and New Zealand Neogene paleogeography. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 106:20646-20651

Carroll, R. L. 1988. Vertebrate Paleontology and Evolution 1-698

Davies, S. J. J. F. (2003). "Moas". In Hutchins, Michael (ed.). Grzimek's Animal Life Encyclopedia. 8: Birds I: Tinamous and Ratites to Hoatzins (2nd ed.). Farmington Hills, MI: Gale Group.

Gill, B. J. (2010). "Regional comparisons of the thickness of moa eggshell fragments (Aves: Dinornithiformes)". Records of the Australian Museum. 62: 115–122.

Lambrecht, K. 1933. Handbuch der Palaeornithologie. 1-1024

Milkovsky, J. 1995. Nomenclatural and taxonomic status of fossil birds described by H.G.L. Reichenbach in 1852. Courier Forschungsinstitut Senckenberg 181:311-316

Owen, R. (1846). A History of British Fossil Mammals and Birds. London, UK: John Van Voorst.

Worthy, T. H., and R. N. Holdaway. 1994. Quaternary fossil faunas from caves in Takaka Valley and on Takaka Hill, northwest Nelson, South Island, New Zealand. Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand 24(3):297-391

Worthy, T. H., and R. N. Holdaway. 1996. Taphonomy of two holocene microvertebrate deposits, Takaka Hill, Nelson, New Zealand, and identification of the avian predator responsible. Historical Biology 12(1):1-24

Worthy, T. H. 1998. A remarkable fossil and archaeological avifauna from Marfells Beach, Lake Grassmere, South Island, New Zealand. Records of the Canterbury Museum 12:79-176

Worthy, T. H., and J. A. Grant-Mackie. 2003. Late-Pleistocene avifaunas from Cape Wanbrow, Otago, South Island, New Zealand. Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand 33(1):427-485

Worthy, T. H.; Scofield, R. P. (2012). "Twenty-first century advances in knowledge of the biology of moa (Aves: Dinornithiformes): a new morphological analysis and moa diagnoses revised". New Zealand Journal of Zoology. 39 (2): 87–153.

[powlokisdiary]

**Ok so our WiseUp Wednesday is a day late..... Apologies!** Species profile - Striped owl One of the things we are going to cover in our educational posts are species profiles, especially if they relate to our critters! And seeing as Loki is our mascot it seemed fitting for our first one to be of her species! Well she is a subspecies actually, a Mexican striped owl - Asio Clamator Midas. The striped owl though has been placed variously into the genus 'Pseudoscops' and in the genus 'Rhinoptynx', but it is now placed in the 'Asio' genus. Length: 30-38cm (measured from tip of tail to top of head) Weight: averagely ranges from 320-556g but some wild females have weighed more. Wing length: averages 228-294mm *females are larger and heavier than males* Identification/appearance: Classed as being small to medium sized owls. Females of the species are up to as much as 150g heavier than males. They have rather tousled but conspicuous blackish ear tufts. The plumage is a tawny-buff colour with the foreheads and nape having lots of dusky coloured streaking. The mantle and backs of these birds also have dark mottling and streaking. Scapulars have whitish areas with the outer webs forming a clear row across the shoulders. They have dark brown tails and flight feathers that are broadly paler barred. White throats and pale tawny to buffush-white underparts have prominent streaks of dark brown or black. They have a brownish white facial disk (the lightness of the brown varies amongst subspecies) that us framed with a blackish ruff, they also have short whitish eyebrows that extend from the base of the bill to above the eyes with whitish lores. Beaks are blackish grey and eyes are a cinnamon brown colour. Feathered tarsi and toes are a lighter, more creamy colour with blackish grey talons. In flight: They fly over more open areas and have rather shallow, rapid wingbeats. Call: Capable of making a variety of calls! But in the wild they emit a single or double rather nasally sounding hoot. They also give off a high pitched hawk like whistle. And they are capable of making a series of barking calls. Food and Hunting: Striped owls hunt mostly during the crepuscular and nocturnal hours. Small mammals and birds are its main source of prey. Mammalian prey includes: spiny rats, rice rats, mice, cavies, bats, and opossums. Bird prey includes: doves, grassquits, flycatchers, thrushes, house sparrows, and tinamous. Other foods include large sized insects like grasshoppers, and a few species of reptile. Its large feet and powerful talons indicates it is capable of taking large prey, infact the striped owl is capable of taking prey approximately 0.7 times its own weight such as pigeons, cavies and white eared opossums. Its hunting technique is described as a low flight over open landscapes with abrupt dives after prey. It will also sit on a perch, using it as a vantage point (eg: fence posts and branches) to watch prey before swooping down to catch it. General behaviour: The striped owl is sedentary within its range. It can be seen alone, in pairs, or in small groups. This species may be gregarious, and the birds gather at roost in flocks of about 10-12 owls. During the day they rest, hidden amongst the dense foliage of trees and shrubs. They can remain motionless for hours. They may also be found on the ground, concealed by the cover of vegetation. Outside of the breeding season they roost in small flocks by day time. Their cryptic plumage allows them to become almost invisible. Habitat: Prefers open or semi open Savannah and grassland, but also lives near humid forest edges, rice fields and airports. It is however absent from dense forest. Breeding: *Breeding seasons vary depending on location, but is noted occuring mainly from August to March time* These owls nest on flat ground, hidden amongst long grassy clumps or amongst thick bushes. Some nests have rarely been observed in trees. The female will lay between 2-4 eggs. Incubation is done solely by the female and lasts around a 30-33 days. Usualky only one or 2 of the chicks fledge. The male will provide food for the female and young. The young will remain with the parents for several weeks after fledging. Status: Uncertain Distribution: Ranges from S.Mexico to Panama, from Northern S.America to Uruguay and N.Argentina east if the Andes. Appear to be year round residents. Subspecies/Geographic variation: Four subspecies of striped owl have been described. The nominate race - Asio Clamator/Asio Clamator Clamator occurs from Colombia to C.Brazil. Asio Clamator Obari is from Trinidad and the island of Tobago (where it was last seen in 1971 according to records....) Asio Clamator Forbesi is from S.Mexico to Costa Rica and Panama. This subspecies is smaller and paler than the nominate race. And there's Loki's subspecies, Asio Clamator Midas, which comes from Bolivia to Uruguay and they are the largest and palest of the species. Mortality: Observations on mortality include road kills and shootings. Natural enemies are larger owls and birds of prey. *SEVERAL REFERENCES HAVE BEEN USED TO CREATE THIS - BOOKS IN MY PERSONAL COLLECTION BEING THE MAIN SOURCE* And there you have it! Our first species profile 😁 I will be covering more of our critters in later weeks amongst other educational subjects, and as always please feel free to ask questions or leave feedback/requests for stuff. We make a massive effort to research any potential critter species we may get to the fullest of our capability as we believe that it helps us understand them, their needs, instincts, lifestyles and behaviours better so we can best prepare for their potential arrival. This is the basic compilation of reference I gathered on striped owls before I commited to taking on Loki. I say basic because the real notes I made covered at least 5 double pages of A4 (where this was only 1 and a half double pages), and that was just the species research notes! My notes of them in captivity added a heck of a lot more 😂 And I also said best prepare - researching a species will always give you a basic understanding but each individual will present its own unique quirks and characters that does admittedly throw research notes out of the window at times 😁 www.facebook.com/TheLokiDiary

[squawkoverflow]

A new variant has been added!

Curve-billed Tinamou (Nothoprocta curvirostris) © Pumamaquito

It hatches from brown, dark, dense, grassy, hard, high, open, quiet, short, shy, small, such, terrestrial, typical, and white eggs.

squawkoverflow - the ultimate bird collecting game          🥚 hatch    ❤️ collect     🤝 connect

[squawkoverflow]

A new variant has been added!

Curve-billed Tinamou (Nothoprocta curvirostris) © thibaudaronson

It hatches from brown, dark, dense, grassy, hard, high, open, quiet, short, shy, small, such, terrestrial, typical, and white eggs.

squawkoverflow - the ultimate bird collecting game          🥚 hatch    ❤️ collect     🤝 connect

[a-dinosaur-a-day]

Crypturellus

Tataupa Tinamou, by Dario Sanches, CC BY-SA 2.0

PLEASE SUPPORT US ON PATREON. EACH and EVERY DONATION helps to keep this blog running! Any amount, even ONE DOLLAR is APPRECIATED! IF YOU ENJOY THIS CONTENT, please CONSIDER DONATING!

Name: Crypturellus 

Status: Extant

First Described: 1914

Described By: Brabourne & Chubb

Classification: Dinosauria, Theropoda, Neotheropoda, Averostra, Tetanurae, Orionides, Avetheropoda, Coelurosauria, Tyrannoraptora, Maniraptoriformes, Maniraptora, Pennaraptora, Paraves, Eumaniraptora, Averaptora, Avialae, Euavialae, Avebrevicauda, Pygostylia, Ornithothoraces, Euornithes, Ornithuromorpha, Ornithurae, Neornithes, Palaeognathae, Notopalaeognathae, Tinamiformes + Dinornithiformes Clade, Tinamiformes, Tinamidae, Tinaminae 

Referred Species: C. atrocapillus (Black-Capped Tinamou, extant), C. bartletti (Bartlett’s Tinamou, extant), C. berlepschi (Berlepsch’ Tinamou, extant), C. boucardi (Slaty-breasted Tinamou, extant), C. brevirostris (Rusty Tinamou, extant), C. casiquiare (Barred Tinamou, extant), C. cinereus (Cinereous Tinamou, extant), C. cinnamomeus (Thicket Tinamou, extant), C. duidae (Grey-Legged Tinamou, extant), C. erythropus (Red-legged Tinamou, extant), C. kerriae (Choco Tinamou, extant), C. noctivagus (Yellow-legged Tinamou, extant), C. obsoletus (Brown Tinamou, extant), C. parvirostris (Small-billed Tinamou, extant), C. ptaritepui (Tepui Tinamou, extant), C. soui (Little Tinamou, extant), C. strigulosus (Brazilian Tinamou, extant), C. tataupa (Tataupa Tinamou, extant), C. transfasciatus (Pale-browed Tinamou), C. undulatus (Undulated Tinamou, extant), C. verigatus (Verigated Tinamou, extant), C. reai (extinct) 

Here we go! Our first extant genus of Tinamou! Crypturellus, which is mostly a forest-dwelling type of tinamou (though some species live in the steppe and grasslands). Today, they live throughout Uruguay to Mexico. This genus is extremely specious, with 21 extant species and 1 extinct species. 

By Jack Wood on @thewoodparable 

The one extinct species, C. reai, is from the Santa Cruz Formation of Argentina, living about 17.5 to 16.3 million years ago, in the Burdigalian age of the Miocene of the Neogene. It is only known from a humerus, but it indicates this genus evolved quite a while ago and was present in a higher latitude than today. This indicates that tropical climates were present in Patagonia during the Miocene, since that is the primary habitat preference of tinamou in this genus. It is also one of the earliest tinamou fossils known, which indicates that tinamou appeared quite early on looking essentially the same as today, and their ghost lineage from other palaeognaths remains a mystery. It was most similar to the modern Pale-browed tinamou in shape, except for having differently arranged muscles. 

Pale-Browed Tinamou by Tony Castro, CC BY-SA 4.0

Modern species of Crypturellus are very loud birds, with males and females having different calls, and in some cases - like with the Slaty-Breasted Tinamou - the calls are so unique per bird that individuals can be recognized based on the calls. Other tinamous can be grouped together based on the similarity of their calls - the Undulated, Red-Legged, and Yellow-Legged Tinamou all make similar calls, while the Brown Tinamou, Small-Billed Tinamou, and Tataupa Tinamou all make similar calls. They like to eat fruit in their forested environment, but also will feed upon insects, which they often leap as high as 1 meter to grab. This genus mates by the male lowering his breast to the ground and then raising his neck vertically, making him look larger to impress females. The females will lay clutches of 2 eggs, with multiple females contributing to a nest until it reaches sizes of up to 16 eggs. Males that mated with all these females will then incubate and care for the young for 16 days. The chicks are very precocial and run around often like the chicks of rails, and gain maturity at 20 days. 

Bartlett’s Tinamou, from the British Museum, in the Public Domain

As stated, there are many species of tinamou, so time to go through them in alphabetical order (by species)! The Black-Capped Tinamou is from tropical lowlands in Peru and Bolivia, and has even extended to Brazil. It is black, brown, and grey, with its legs red. It behaves much like the other members of its genus, living in low lying bushes and feeding off of fruits, flowers, leaves, seeds, roots, and insects. Sadly, it is near-threatened. Bartlett’s Tinamou, above, is not endangered, and is found in subtropical and tropical forests in Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, and Ecuador, and its mostly brown with some black spots. It’s also about 27 centimeters long. 

Berlepsch’s Tinamou by John Gerrard Keulemans, in the Public Domain 

Berlepsch’s Tinamou is from Columbia and Ecuador, and though it has a very limited range in tropical habitats, it doesn’t appear to be threatened ecologically. It’s about 29.6 to 32 centimeters in length, with the females slightly heavier than the males. They’re usually a very dark brown, and though they can fly they rarely do, picking off fruit from low hanging branches. 

Slaty-Breasted Tinamou by Exotic Ornithology, in the Public Domain

The Slaty-Breasted Tinamou is from Mexico and Central America, in lowland evergreen forests with thick undergrowth for it to hide in. It’s about 27 centimeters in length and very shy and difficult to spot, though it has a three note low call that’ll make for up to five hours at a time. The Rusty Tinamou, conversely, is mainly in tropical and swamp forests in South America, and though it isn’t threatened its habitat means it’s very difficult to spot this bird. The Barred Tinamou also lives in Colombia and Venezuela in tropical forests, and is smaller than other tinamous, only about 25 centimeters long, and also has yellowish feathers. 

Cinereous Tinamou by Manuel Anastácio, CC BY-SA 2.5

The Cinereous Tinamou is from swamp and lowland forests in Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela, Suriname, Guyana, French Guiana, Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia, mainly in the Amazon rainforest. They will sometimes venture out into the savanna and feed in coffee and cocoa plantations. They greatly supplement their fruity diet with insects such as ants and mole-crickets, and they eat a lot of seeds and berries in the winter. They don’t really make nests but just kind of lay their eggs in a giant pile of leaves on the floor. They also have a very loud whistle that they make at dawn and dusk. 

Thicket Tinamou by Exotic Ornithology, in the Public Domain 

The Thicket Tinamou is a reddish tinamou from Mexico, which isn’t endangered and very common. At 27 to 29 centimeters long, it’s fairly average in size. It makes a whoo-oo call and the tinamou are often found in pairs and families in various kinds of tropical and subtropical forests in the lowlands. It also lives in Costa Rica and lives very close to the United States. It’ll nest in raised roosts and eats a variety of fruits, seeds, and invertebrates. 

Grey-Legged Tinamou by José Alvarez Alonso, CC BY 2.0 

The Grey-Legged Tinamou is near threatened and from Colombia, Venezuela, and Brazil, though it may extend as far as Peru. It’s about 30 centimeters long, making it fairly large for this genus. They have a slightly varied diet and lives in drier lowland forests and dry scrubland, which it blends in with with its brown plumage. 

Red-Legged Tinamou by the British Museum, in the Public Domain 

The Red-Legged Tinamou looks a lot like quail even though it’s not, it’s a tinamou. It can be anywhere between 27 and 32 centimeters in length, making it both small and big for this genus. It has a whistling call and it has pinkish eggs which I just find neat. They live in Guyana, Suriname, Colombia, Venezuela, and Brazil, and it might extend into French Guiana. It preferably lives in dry forests, though it does venture into wet forests, shrubland, and grassland. The Choco Tinamou (no image) is a very rare and vulnerable tinamou, quite small (about 25 to 26 centimeters in length), and it’s very dark as well. It has a sad sounding three note whistle. Being from tropical and subtropical moist forests, its habitats are being destructed by human activity and as such it is vulnerable to extinction. There are, however, efforts to conserve its habitat ongoing. 

Yellow-Legged Tinamou by Marcos Massarioli, CCY BY 2.0 

The Yellow-Legged Tinamou is near threatened and found in shrublands and woods in Brazil. It has grey-brown plumage and is about 28 to 31 centimeters long. It eats a lot of leaves, roots, and invertebrates in addition to fruit. Unfortunately, habitat destruction is to blame for its population loss. 

Brown Tinamou, by the British Museum, in the Public Domain 

The Brown Tinamou lives in Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Brazil, Argentina, Bolivia, Paraguay, and Uruguay, giving it one of the southernmost ranges of any living member of the genus. It lives in lowland and mountain forests, preferring high elevations. It is also very shy, making it hard to spot. It lives alone or in pairs, and is about 25 to 30 centimeters long on average. 

Small-Billed Tinamou by Dario Sanches, CC BY-SA 2.0 

The Small-Billed Tinamou is known from Brazil, Peru, Bolivia, Paraguay, and Argentina, living in dry savanna and shrubland. It has a tiny, red bill and is about 22 centimeters in length, making it small in general - allowing it to hide easier in bushes and against the dry ground. The Tepui Tinamou is also a open-habitat-dwelling bird, known from only Venezeulan shrubland and mountain forests. Thus they live in higher altitudes. They’re about 27 centimters in length and eat lots of roots, leaves, seeds, flowers, and invertebrates in addition to fruit.

Little Tinamou, by Gary L. Clark, CC BY-SA 4.0 

The Little Tinamou is about 22 centimeters long and very shy, making it quite adorable in my opinion. It’s rarely seen and lives in dark, dense forests across Central and South America. It’s also solitary, making spotting one even harder, and it’s very brown with a black head. It lives in lowland tropical forests and some shrubland, and they also will live in farmland successfully. 

Brazilian Tinamou by Marcos Massarioli, CC BY 2.0 

The Brazilian Tinamou lives in lowland forests that are primarily tropical and moist, and it lives in Bolivia, Brazil and Peru. They’re about 28 centimeters in length and are very common and not threatened ecologically. 

Tataupa Tinamou, by Marcos Massarioli, CC BY-SA 3.0 

The Tataupa Tinamou is about 25 centimeters in length and mainly dark greyish brown, with a bright red bill and reddish legs. They prefer dry forests and live in Brazil, Bolivia, Argentina, Paraguay, Peru, and even Ecuador. 

Pale-Browed Tinamou by the Zoological Society of London, in the Public Domain 

The Pale-Browed Tinamou is a near-threatened species from Peruvian and Ecuadorian arid forests. About 28 centimters long, it has striping along its feathers and pinkish to yellowish legs. Due to deforestation, its population is decreasing. 

Undulated Tinamou by Marcos Massarioli, CC BY-SA 3.0 

The Undulated Tinamou lives in wooded habitats of the Amazon Basin, and they’re also very shy, though they have a distinctive call that sounds like com-pra-pan, the Spanish phrase for “buy bread”. It’s about 28 to 30 centimeters in length and it is in general brownish grey and with black bars on its body and neck. It prefers drier habitats when possible. 

Variegated Tinamou, by Luciana Costa, CC BY-SA 3.0 

Our last species, the Veriegated Tinamou is from wet lowland forests with dense undergrowth across Colombia, Venezuela, French Guiana, Suriname, Guyana, Brazil, Peru, Ecuador, and Bolivia. It’s about 29.5 to 33 centimeters in length, making it fairly large, and it has striped feathers along its back. It’s throat is also white as are its butt feathers. They make five uniform notes for their call, sometimes trilling before descending in pitch. Luckily, it isn’t vulnerable for extinction.

Sources:

Chandler, R. M. 2012. A new species of Tinamou (Aves: Tinamiformes, Tinamidae) from the Early-Middle Miocene of Argentina. PalArch’s Journal of Vertebrate Palaeontology 9(2): 1 - 8. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crypturellus 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black-capped_tinamou 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bartlett%27s_tinamou 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berlepsch%27s_tinamou 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slaty-breasted_tinamou 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rusty_tinamou 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barred_tinamou 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cinereous_tinamou 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thicket_tinamou 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grey-legged_tinamou 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red-legged_tinamou 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Choco_tinamou 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yellow-legged_tinamou 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brown_tinamou 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Small-billed_tinamou 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tepui_tinamou 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Little_tinamou 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brazilian_tinamou 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tataupa_tinamou 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pale-browed_tinamou 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Undulated_tinamou 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Variegated_tinamou

[a-dinosaur-a-day]

Here we go: We’re starting out with the fun ones. Time to vote in the NEORNITHEAN FAMILY you want, and then a specific bird will be picked from that family in the last week of the prelims, solely so that write-ins won’t be necessary. Please READ the below information so that you make an informed voting choice! You have through January 7th!

HIGHLIGHTS & INELIGIBLES 

Palaeognaths

The first major division of modern birds, with the rest being neognaths. All lineages except for the tinamous and lithornithids are flightless. Highlighted families include Lithornithidae (early flighted palaeognaths with long slender bills), Aepyornithidae (elephant birds), Rheidae (rheas), and Dinornithidae (giant moa).  List of ineligible candidates: Struthio (ostriches, family Struthionidae), Casuarius (cassowaries, family Casuariidae), Apteryx (kiwi, family Apterygidae)

Galloanserans

The earliest-diverging  group of neognaths. Modern galloanserans include a wide variety of land and waterfowl. Highlighted families include Pelagornithidae (birds that evolved fake teeth coming out of their beaks), Dromornithidae (large, flightless herbivorous birds that resemble emus or moa), Anatidae (waterfowl such as ducks, geese, and swans), Phasianidae (landfowl such as pheasants, partridges, and turkeys), and Presbyornithidae (duck relatives that mimicked flamingos & lived in the latest Cretaceous).  List of ineligible candidates: Gallus (chicken & junglefowl, family Phasianidae), Pavo (Indian peafowl & green peafowl, family Phasianidae), Gastornis

Strisorians

A group of mostly insect-eating neognaths, including some of the most specialized vertebrate fliers. Highlighted families include Apodidae (swifts, fast flying insectivores that spend much of their lives in the air), Caprimulgidae (nightjars, nocturnal or crepuscular insectivores), Steatornithidae (oilbirds, nocturnal frugivores capable of echolocation), and Trochilidae (hummingbirds, the smallest living birds, capable of hovering flight).  List of ineligible candidates: Nyctibius (potoos, family Nyctibiidae), Mellisuga (bee & vervain hummingbirds, family Trochilidae), Podargus (tawny frogmouth & other members of Podargus, family Podargidae) 

Columbavians

A variety of early-diverging neognaths that are found to form a clade by some studies. Include both tree-dwelling and ground-dwelling species. Highlighted families include Columbidae (pigeons, stout-bodied mainly herbivorous birds that are often kept as pets), Musophagidae (turacos, arboreal frugivores with unique pigments in their feathers), Cuculidae (cuckoos, mainly insectivorous arboreal and terrestrial birds), and Otididae (bustards, terrestrial birds including some of the heaviest modern flying birds).  List of ineligible candidates: Columba (rock dove/pigeon & other members of Columba, family Columbidae), Raphus (dodo, family Columbidae) 

Gruiforms 

A group of mostly ground-dwelling neognaths often associated with water, including the cranes, rails, and their close relatives. Highlighted families include Gruidae (cranes, long-legged omnivorous birds), Rallidae (rails, mostly secretive semi-aquatic birds), Aptornithidae (adzebills, large flightless, possibly predatory, extinct birds from New Zealand), and Heliornithidae (finfoots, grebe-like aquatic birds from the tropics).  List of ineligible candidates: Grus (whooping crane & other members of Grus, family Gruidae) 

Mirandornitheans & Charadriiforms 

Two groups of neognaths that may or may not be closely related, both mainly foraging in or near water. Mirandornitheans include grebes and flamingos, whereas the very diverse Charadriiforms include gulls, sandpipers, auks, and many more. Highlighted families include Phoenicopteridae (flamingos, long-legged filter feeders), Podicipedidae (grebes, diving birds with lobed rather than webbed feet), Scolopacidae (sandpipers, a diverse group that mainly forages on shore), Laridae (gulls, terns, and skimmers, agile fliers that forage near the water surface), and Alcidae (auks, wing-propelled diving birds).  List of ineligible candidates: Pinguinus (great auk, family Alcidae) 

Ardeans

A great diversity of neognaths that mostly hunt in aquatic environments, including some of the most specialized marine dinosaurs. Highlighted families include Spheniscidae (penguins, a semi-aquatic group of flightless birds living mostly in the Southern Hemisphere), Phaethontidae (tropicbirds, a group of seabirds with extremely long tail feathers and very small feet), Gaviidae (loons, diving birds that resemble ducks & geese but are not closely related and are extremely clumsy on land), Pelecanidae (pelicans, birds with large beaks that allow for the consumption of huge quantities of seafood), and Sulidae (boobies and gannets, seabirds that plunge-dive for prey).  List of ineligible candidates: Balaeniceps (shoebill, family Balaenicipitidae), Eudyptula (little blue penguin & Australian little penguin, family Spheniscidae) 

Accipitrimorphs & Opisthocomiforms 

Accipitrimorphs include the majority of diurnal birds of prey. Opisthocomiforms include the hoatzin, an unusual herbivorous South American bird. The two groups are probably not close kin, but a recent study found opisthocomiforms closely related to telluravians, a diverse group of mostly arboreal birds including accipitrimorphs and the remaining bird groups in this survey. Highlighted families include Cathartidae (large scavenging birds mostly from the New World), Accipitridae (hawks, eagles, and Old World vultures), Teratornithidae (giant extinct birds of prey, among the largest flying birds ever to have existed), and Opisthocomidae (the unusual hoatzin and its close fossil relatives).  List of ineligible candidates: Gypaetus (bearded vulture, family Accipitridae), Sagittarius (secretary bird, family Sagittariidae), Opisthocomus (hoatzin, family Opisthocomidae), Harpia (harpy eagle, family Accipitridae) 

Owls

Owls, a group of mostly nocturnal birds of prey. You’ve probably heard of them. Highlighted families include Tytonidae (barn owls and their close relatives), Strigidae (all other modern owls), and a variety of fossil owl groups.  List of ineligible candidates: Tyto (true barn owls, grass owls, & masked owls, family Tytonidae), Athene (burrowing owl & other members of Athene, family Strigidae)

Non-Piciform Coraciimorphs 

Coraciimorphs are a group of mostly tree-dwelling telluravians. Many nest in tree cavities or burrows, and they encompass a diversity of ecologies including predators, fruit-eaters, and omnivores.  Highlighted families include Coliidae (mousebirds, frugivores that climb and hop acrobatically through the trees), Alcedinidae (kingfishers, predatory birds that catch prey by diving from a perch), Bucerotidae (hornbills, omnivorous birds often with bony crests on their large bills), and Trogonidae (trogons, fruit-eating birds with backwards-pointing first and second toes). List of ineligible candidates: Dacelo (kookaburras, family Alcedinidae), Pharomachrus (true quetzals, family Trogonidae), Upupa (hoopoes) 

Piciforms 

A particularly diverse group of coraciimorphs including woodpeckers and barbets. Highlighted families include Gracilitarsidae (small, long-legged extinct piciforms that may have been agile fliers), Galbulidae (jacamars, long-billed insectivores with shiny plumage), Picidae (woodpeckers, tree-climbing birds that drill holes in trees while foraging and nesting), and Ramphastidae (toucans, particularly large-billed barbets from the Neotropics).  List of ineligible candidates: None 

Cariamiforms & Falcons

Two groups of mostly predatory telluravians. Cariamiforms are ground birds whereas falcons are mainly fast aerial hunters. Highlighted families include Ameghinornithidae (extinct herbivorous ground birds that may not actually be cariamiforms - but what they actually are is poorly studied), Phorusrhacidae (terror birds, often large-bodied extinct flightless predatory birds), Cariamidae (seriemas, long-legged predatory birds with retractable second toes), and Falconidae (falcons, mostly fast-flying predators as mentioned previously).  List of ineligible candidates: Falco peregrinus (peregrine falcon, family Falconidae), Titanis, Phorusrhacos (both family Phorusrhacidae) 

Parrots

A group of intelligent, large-beaked birds that are often distinguished by their colorful feathers and complicated vocalizations. Often times are kept as pets, though none are domesticated. Highlighted families include Cacatuidae (cockatoos, cockatiels & relatives, large parrots with crests and extreme loudness), Psittaculidae (parrots such as lovebirds, lorikeets, and Asian parrots - so a very diverse group), Psittacidae (macaws, parakeets, amazon parrots, and caiques), and Messelasturidae (extinct relatives of parrots that were birds of prey)  List of ineligible candidates: Strigops (kakapo, family Strigopidae), Psittacus (African grey parrot & Timneh parrot, family Psittacidae) 

Non-Corvidan Non-Passeridan Passerines 

Passerines (or perching birds) are mostly small-bodied insect- and seed-eating birds, as well as the majority of modern bird species. The following are passerines and passerine-like birds that do not belong to two of the more specific passerine groups Corvida and Passerida. Highlighted families include Zygodactylidae (extinct passerine relatives with backward-pointing first and fourth toes like parrots), Pipridae (manakins, a group of Neotropical passerines in which the males often perform elaborate courtship dances), Pittidae (pittas, often colorful birds that live on the forest floor), Tyrannidae (tyrant flycatchers, insect-eating passerines that often aggressively mob predatory birds), and Menuridae (lyrebirds, terrestrial birds known for vocal mimicry, males have elaborate tail plumage). List of ineligible candidates: None 

Corvidans 

One of the most diverse passerine clades, including the groups closely related to crows. Highlighted families include Oriolidae (orioles, arboreal Old World omnivores including a few species with poisonous feathers), Paradisaeidae (birds of paradise, Australasian passerines in which the males often have extravagant plumage and spectacular courtship rituals), Vangidae (vangas, a group of Madagascan passerines with very diverse ecologies), Laniidae (shrikes, predatory passerines that impale prey on pointed objects), and Corvidae (crows, jays, and magpies, highly intelligent omnivores).  List of ineligible candidates: Corvus (crows, ravens, and rooks), Cyanocitta (blue jay & Steller’s jay) (both family Corvidae)

Passeridans

Another of the most diverse passerine clades, including the groups closely related to sparrows. Highlighted families include Picathartidae (rockfowl, bald-headed African passerines that nest under rocky overhangs), Paridae (tits, small acrobatic omnivores that mainly forage in trees), Sittidae (nuthatches, small passerines that forage by descending tree trunks headfirst), Nectariniidae (sunbirds, mostly nectar-eating Old World passerines), and Thraupidae (tanagers, a diverse group of often brightly-colored Neotropical passerines, including the famous Darwin’s finches).  List of ineligible candidates: Parus (great, Japanese, cinereous, & green-backed tits, family Paridae)

[a-dinosaur-a-day]

Time for the next round!!! It’s time to vote in the BIRD SPECIES that WILL be the competitor in this year’s Dinosaur March Madness!!!! All eligible species ARE LISTED. Please READ the below information so that you make an informed voting choice! You have through February 4th!!!!!!!!

HIGHLIGHTS & INELIGIBLES

Giant Moa

The giant moa were two of the largest known moa - a group of large flightless birds from New Zealand, closely related to modern tinamous, which mainly fed on low lying vegetation in their environment. They were some of the dominant herbivores of New Zealand, and only went extinct a few thousand years ago due to human hunting. The two species are the North Island Giant Moa and the South Island Giant Moa. They differ primarily in that they come from different islands of New Zealand - with the North Island Giant Moa coming from the northern island, and the South Island Giant Moa coming from the southern island, but in addition to this, the South Island Giant Moa was also the biggest known moa, and the tallest known species of bird. List of ineligible candidates: None

Ducks, Geese, & Relatives

The anatids - ducks, geese, swans, and their relatives - are waterfowl that feature heavily in everyday life. Primarily herbivorous, they feed on water plants in a variety of habitats, such as lakes, ponds, and wetlands. They have webbed feet, short pointed wings, and bills that are usually flattened. Some species, the mergansers, are piscivorous, using serrations on their bills to catch fish. Many of them undergo very large annual migrations, and some have been domesticated. They come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes, with many have long slender necks, and most also having short and strong legs for swimming - though they’re relatively awkward walking around on land. Highlighted species include the Hooded Merganser (a diving duck in which the male has a conspicuous black-and-white head crest), the Kauaʻi Mole Duck (an extinct Hawaiian duck that had poor eyesight, likely foraging on land by smell and touch), the Northern Shoveler (an unmistakable duck with a spatula-like bill, very specialized for feeding on plankton), and the Trumpeter Swan (the largest living waterfowl). List of ineligible candidates: None

Hummingbirds

Hummingbirds are a group of highly specialized birds that include some of the most spectacularly colored and smallest dinosaurs known. They have extremely strong hearts and wings specialized for hovering, which they can flap at very high speeds to allow for them to hover and procure nectar from flowers much like bees and butterflies—in short, they’re dinosaurs that convergently evolved with insects. Males are, typically, smaller than females in the smaller hummingbirds, and larger than females in the larger hummingbirds. They have the highest metabolism of any animal to support their rapid wing beats. Their colors serve to compete for both territory and mates, and is primarily brilliantly colored in male hummingbirds - and they even use the sun to enhance their sheen. Highlighted species include the Marvelous Spatuletail (in which the males have a pair of extremely long tail feathers with expanded tips), the Sword-billed Hummingbird (which has a bill longer than the length of its body), the Xanthus’s Hummingbird (which has white “eyebrows” and is found only in Baja California), the Long-billed Hermit (in which the males have dagger-like bills for fighting), and the Anna’s Hummingbird (in which the males perform diving displays reaching 385 body-lengths per second and make sounds using their tail feathers).  List of ineligible candidates: Bee Hummingbird, Vervain Hummingbird

Turacos

Turacos are a group of poorly flighted African birds that feature a wide variety of weird plumages and pigmentations, including some of the only truly green pigments found in animals (rather than green due to iridescent sheen and/or combinations of other pigments). They evolved perching ability similar to, but independently from, perching birds and parrots, making their feet an interesting example of convergent evolution. Though they are weak fliers, they do run about the trees very rapidly, and make a lot of noisy alarm calls to each other. They are some of the weirdest and prettiest known birds, in terms of both names and plumage. Highlighted species include the Great Blue Turaco (the largest species of turaco, with bright blue plumage, yellow tail feathers, an interesting black tufted crest on its head, and a red band on its beak), the Guinea Turaco (an actually true green bird with a fluffy crest on its head and bright red rings around its eyes), the Bare-Faced Go Away Bird (which not only has one of the best names of any dinosaur, but also has a literal bare face and it is very noisy and restless), and the Red-Crested Turaco (which is very small, true green, and has a red crest as well as tiny wings that are red underneath—seriously, so smol). List of ineligible candidates: None

Cranes

Cranes are a group of birds that tend to be large or very large in size, and often quite tall. They have long legs and necks and often nest near water. Some species migrate long distances. Cranes are omnivores and forage on the ground or in water. They maintain strong pair bonds, often mating for life. New pairs engage in elaborate dances prior to mating. Most species have a long, coiled windpipe that allows them to produce loud, trumpeting calls. Highlighted species include the Grey Crowned Crane (known for having a crown of stiff golden feathers on their heads and a red inflatable throat pouch), the Siberian Crane (one of the rarest cranes, almost pure white except on places along the wings only visible in flight, males and females are known for streaking mud through their feathers for display in breeding season), and the Sandhill Crane (known for soaring flight and one of the longest fossil histories for any living bird, with the oldest fossil being 2.5 million years old). List of ineligible candidates: Wattled Crane, Blue Crane, Demoiselle Crane, Red-Crowned Crane, Whooping Crane, Common Crane, Hooded Crane, Black-Necked Crane, G. afghana, G. antigone, G. nannodes, G. haydeni, G. penteleci, G. bogatshevi, G. latipes, Maltese Crane, G. pagei, G. primigenia

Auks

Auks are a group of seabirds that use their wings to swim and dive underwater where they feed on fish and plankton. This makes them similar to penguins, despite not being closely related. (Indeed, the term “penguin” was actually first applied to auks.) Unlike penguins, auks live in the Northern Hemisphere and all extant species can fly. However, they need to flap very quickly during flight due to their short, paddle-like wings. Auks spend most of their lives at sea, typically only coming ashore during breeding season. They often mate for life and generally nest in large colonies. Highlighted species include Miomancalla (a prehistoric flightless relative of auks and the largest known shorebird), the Atlantic Puffin (known for its bright orange bill and spends a large portion of its time in open ocean), the Ancient Murrelet (which spends less time on land than any other bird, with juveniles making their way to the sea at only 1-3 days old), the Crested Auklet (known for its strange forehead crest and smelling strangely like citrus), and the Dovekie (a very small auk that is completely adorable). List of ineligible candidates: Great Auk

Herons

Herons are a group of predatory wading birds with long legs, long bills, and long necks. Members of this group that have mostly white plumage are often known as “egrets”. Herons typically hunt by standing and waiting for prey to come within reach, before spearing the hapless victim with their beak. Most species feed primarily on fish, but they will generally eat any animal small enough to swallow. Herons possess specialized down feathers that grow continuously and disintegrate at the tips, forming a powder that helps the birds remove grease from their plumage while preening. Many species grow ornamental plumes during breeding season, and they generally nest in trees (though the well-camouflaged bitterns tend to nest in reed beds instead), sometimes in large colonies. Unlike many other long-necked birds (such as storks and cranes), herons fly with their necks folded back rather than outstretched. Highlighted species include the Boat-billed Heron (has a large, broad black beak for feeding on shrimp and small fish), the Eurasian Bittern (known for communicating with very deep calls and camouflaging itself by freezing with its bill in the air to mimic reeds), the Green Heron (known for keeping its neck close to its body until it strikes at prey like a harpoon, as well as using small objects such as feathers to bait fish), and the Goliath Heron (the largest heron in the world, almost never moves away from water). List of ineligible candidates: None

Hawks, Eagles, & Relatives

The majority of diurnal birds of prey are members of Accipitridae, including kites, hawks, eagles, and Old World vultures. They are found on every continent except for Antarctica and have adopted a wide variety of lifestyles. Collectively, they are known to prey on everything from insects to large mammals such as deer. They generally have extremely powerful feet and large talons that they use to capture and kill prey. Accipitrids have extremely keen eyesight, able to perceive objects at higher acuity from far greater distances than humans can. In most species, the females are larger than the males and mated pairs often pair for life. Highlighted species include the Palm Nut Vulture (unusually for an accipitrid, it primarily feeds on oil palm fruit), the Haast’s Eagle (a massive extinct eagle that preyed on moa, and believed to be the Pouakai of Maori legend), the Swallow-tailed Kite (a very graceful flier known for its long, forked tail and nests in wooded areas or near wetlands), the Steller’s Sea Eagle (one of the largest eagles and feeds primarily on fish, though it is known to prey on seabirds as well), and the Harris’s Hawk (one of the few raptors that hunts in packs, popular in falconry due to its intelligence). List of ineligible candidates: Harpy Eagle, Bearded Vulture

Typical Owls

Strigidae includes most modern owls other than barn owls and their close kin. Owls are primarily nocturnal birds of prey. The long feathers on their face form a disk that helps collect sound and direct it towards their ears. They use their large eyes and sensitive hearing to hunt at night, and most species have specialized wing feathers that allow them to fly silently while approaching prey. They are generally cryptically colored to help them avoid larger predators and smaller birds that may harass them during the day. Females are usually larger than males, and most species seem to maintain long-term pair bonds. Highlighted species include Ornimegalonyx (an extinct genus believed to be the largest owl to exist), the Snowy Owl (a popular and well recognized owl known for its white plumage, was one of the original species of birds described by Linnaeus himself), the Eurasian Eagle Owl (one of the largest living and most widely distributed species of owl, has prominent ear tufts), the Northern White-faced Owl (nicknamed the “transformer owl” for its defensive behaviors such as puffing its feathers when facing a relatively small predator and pulling its feathers inward and narrowing its eyes for camouflage when faced with a larger one), and the Northern Hawk Owl (one of the few owls that is only active during the day). List of ineligible candidates: Spotted Owlet, Little Owl, Forest Owlet, Burrowing Owl, A. megalopeza, A. veta, A. angelis, A. trinacriae, A. cunicularia, A. cretensis

Kingfishers

Kingfishers are a group of often brightly-colored birds that have dagger-like bills and short legs. They are predatory and most species hunt by watching from a perch. When prey is spotted, they swoop down to catch it in their bill before beating it to death against a hard surface. Though some kingfishers do indeed eat fish, many species primarily feed on land animals. They have keen eyesight, and species that fish are able to account for the effects of water refraction and reflection when diving for prey. Most kingfishers nest in burrows, though some use tree holes or dig cavities in termite nests. Highlighted species include the Shovel-billed Kookaburra (a large kingfisher with a uniquely short, broad bill), the Common Kingfisher (well-recognized kingfisher found widely across Eurasia and Northern Africa, has a greenish-blue or blue body), the Guam Kingfisher (extinct in the wild, only surviving birds are in a captive breeding program), and the Pied Kingfisher (known for commonly bobbing its head and flicking its tail when perched as well as hovering while searching for prey, often groups in large numbers at night to roost).  List of ineligible candidates: Rufous-Bellied Kookaburra, Spangled Kookaburra, Blue-Winged Kookaburra, Laughing Kookaburra

Toucans

Toucans are a group of tree-dwelling birds most notable for their very long and slender bills, which contrast heavily with their, in general, short and compact bodies. Their bills are very colorful, with their light weight allowing the birds to hold them up, given their tiny bodies and short necks; they also have serrations which aid in feeding on fruit that can’t be reached by other birds. In addition, the bills are great for thermoregulation, allowing the toucans to release heat from the bill. They also might use the large bills to actually intimidate other birds and steal eggs and babies from their nests. They have very long tongues - like their close relatives the woodpeckers - that allow them to find food deep in trees. Their tails are also highly adapted - with the vertebrae fused and attached with a ball and socket joint, allowing the tail to jut forward towards the head. They are very social birds in the tropics, and they may fight with their bills and chase each other while they digest food. Highlighted species include the Toco Toucan (the largest and arguably best known toucan, has a black body and brightly colored beak), the Curl-crested Aracari (has a distinct short crest of curled feathers along the top of its head), and the Plate-billed Mountain Toucan (known for two distinct colorations between the northern and southern members of its species, northern toucans have brown eyes and orange on the upper beak while southern toucans have violet/green eyes and yellow and pink on the upper beak). List of ineligible candidates: None

Falcons

Falcons are a group of diurnal birds of prey. They are not closely related to the Accipitrids, despite their similar appearance and lifestyle. As with other birds of prey, the females are typically larger than the males. Most falcons are fast fliers that strike their prey quickly in flight before dispatching it by biting. A tooth-like projection on their upper bill helps them deliver the coup de grâce. The caracaras are an unusual group of falcons that fly relatively slowly and often forage by scavenging. Highlighted species include Gyrfalcon (the largest known falcon which mostly, but not exclusively, lives in the tundra and mountains), the Pygmy Falcon (one of the smallest raptors known which feeds on small animals in the dry bush of Africa), the Red-throated Caracara (unique for being a bee- and wasp-eating caracara, hunts in small groups in jungle lowlands), and the Mauritius Kestrel (an extremely distinct, island-dwelling kestrel that was very close to extinction, but has since been successfully raised back up so that it is “only” endangered, with conservation efforts still ongoing). List of ineligible candidates: Peregrine Falcon

Cockatoos & Cockatiels

Cockatoos are a group of parrots which, though not as colorful as other parrots, do make up for it with extensive crests on their heads that are used for display. They also have extensively curved beaks and are, usually, larger than other parrots, with the Cockatiel being a notable exception. Extensively intelligent birds, they are highlight social and roost and travel together in large and noisy flocks, and are extremely curious birds, often kept as pets (for better or, more often than not, worse) or even regarded as pests when it comes to human crops. Feeding mainly on plants, they forage together in tight flocks to protect themselves from various birds of prey that attack them. They nest in holes in trees, and are primarily known from Oceania. Highlighted species include the Galah (a pink cockatoo that is extremely common and can often be seen in groups foraging in the Australian countryside), the Cockatiel (the smallest species, known for their distinctive crests and bright cheek patches, as well as their status as the second most popular companion bird), the Palm Cockatoo (a large black species with red cheek patches, and potentially the largest known cockatoo and one of the largest parrots in Australia, it also makes many complex vocalizations including the word “hello” and males perform drumming displays to establish territories), and the White Cockatoo (a rather charismatic and noisy bird that, honestly, the only thing I’m going to leave you with here is this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tRsfOGJ5lZg). List of ineligible candidates: None

Lyrebirds

The lyrebirds are a group of perching birds adapted to life on the ground that are most notable for their ability to mimic almost any sound in their environment. Male lyrebirds also have long, elaborate tails, that are used to display for mates. For a long time, these birds were thought to be more closely related to things like pheasants and junglefowl; however, when their chicks were found and seen to be more like those of other perching birds, they were quickly reclassified. Lyrebirds mimic the sounds of things they hear around them - from koalas, to kookaburras, to chainsaws and camera shutters - and use them in their extensive songs, and they have the most intricate vocal musculature known in any perching bird. The three species are Albert’s Lyrebird, the Superb Lyrebird, and one extinct species, M. tyawanoides. They differ primarily in that the Superb Lyrebird is significantly larger and one of the largest known perching birds in general, and Albert’s lyrebird is much rarer. In addition, Albert’s Lyrebird lacks the extensive tail-fan of the Superb Lyrebird. The one extinct species, M. tyawanoides, is known from the famous Riversleigh Environment of Miocene Australia, showing that this group was already around about 23 million years ago, and may have been more diverse than what is shown in its living members. M. tyawanoides was smaller than either living lyrebird. List of ineligible candidates: None

Birds of Paradise

Birds of Paradise are some of the most beautiful and weird perching birds known, with a wide variety of extremely specialized and colorful display feathers, as well as very elaborate display rituals that they use to signal to each other during mating. They are also highly sexually dimorphic, with the males having these extensive bright plumages and the females generally looking rather drab in comparison. They come primarily from Oceania - Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, and Australia - and they live primarily in rainforests. They eat primarily fruit and some arthropods, and though many of them are monogamous, some do change mates with large congregations of males competing against each other for females. These competitions not only display their plumages, but also usually features extensive dancing and weird behaviors based on the plumage itself. They also often hybridize between the species, which makes classifying many of these birds sometimes difficult. Highlighted species include Wilson’s Bird of Paradise (the males of which have curly tail feathers and extensive coloration on their backs, and they clear an area of the rainforest to display to a female, conducting a very elaborate mating dance that can be seen in Planet Earth II), the Greater Bird of Paradise (the largest bird of Paradise with extensive, fluffy plumage coming out of the tail in the males, as well as iridescent green feathers), the Victoria’s Riflebird (whose males display blue feathers on their throat and curve their wings, moving in a jerky fashion from side to side, before the female sort of mimics by raising her wings, until they finish dancing and actually kind of hug with their wings before copulation), the Raggiana Bird of Paradise (in which the males also have fluffy feathers coming out of their back and tail, and display by clapping their wings and shaking their heads), and the King of Saxony Bird of Paradise (in which the males have very long, striped, ribbon like feathers coming out of their head). List of ineligible candidates: None

Mockingbirds & Thrashers

The mimids - mockingbirds, thrashers, tremblers, New World catbirds, and relatives - are a group of songbirds that are noted for their mimicry, as demonstrated by the name “mockingbird”. They are usually gray and brown in color, with bigger tails and longer beaks than their close relatives, and are also in general large for songbirds. They have long legs that allow them to hop through their environment and feed on small insects and fruit, and they live in a wide variety of habitats around the Western Hemisphere. In general, they are very active, loud, and aggressive birds. Highlighted species include the Northern Mockingbird (a North American species that sings fairly constantly, can recognize individual humans, and is a wee bit of an asshole), the Galápagos Mockingbird (one of the four types of Mockingbirds from the Galápagos Islands that eats seal placentas… as well as more mundane things, and helped Darwin in understanding natural selection), and the Gray Catbird (which makes a mewing sound like a cat, and also mimics calls made by other birds). List of ineligible candidates: None

[a-dinosaur-a-day]

I highly recommend having this survey open on your browser, doing research, and filling it out slowly. Because, birds. 

Palaeognaths

The first major division of modern birds (all the rest are Neognaths). Includes the Moa, Elephant Birds, Tinamous, Emus, Rheas, and Lithornithids. Casuarias and Struthio are ineligible, so don’t write in any Cassowaries or Ostriches. 

Highlights include the Kiwi, an adorable small with a long snoot; Aepyornis, the largest Neornithean known; the Emu, who has one of the funniest ways of running; and Lithornis, an extinct flying member of the group. 

Galloanserans 

The earliest derived group of Neognaths. Includes Gastornis & the very similar Dromornithids, Geese, Screamers, Ducks, Swans, Curassows, Guans, Megapodes, Partridges, Quails, Junglefowl, and Pheasants. Genera Pavo and Gallus are ineligible, so don’t write in any peafowl or the four junglefowl under Gallus (which includes the chicken). 

Highlights include Gastornis, which was actually a large herbivore rather than a super predator as thought; Vegavis, one of the earliest well-known Neornithes, being from the Cretaceous; Hooded Merganser, the duck with the very large crest that is quite impressive; and the Blue-billed Curassow, confirmed Friend and Curly Man. 

Caprimulgiformes & Opisthocomiformes

These two groups aren’t actually closely related, I just had to stick Opisthocomiformes somewhere. Caprimulgiformes include Oilbirds, Owlet-Nightjars, Frogmouths, Nighthawks, and Nightjars. Opisthocomiformes include Hoatzin. Genera Nyctibius and Opisthocomus are ineligible, so no potoos or the only modern Hoatzin. 

Highlights include the Satanic Nightjar, which looks exactly like you’d expect; the Tawny Frogmouth, who almost looks like a potoo if you squint; the Oilbird, which has some of the weirdest and spookiest eyes; and Hoazinoides, an extinct Hoatzin with feet like that of an owl. 

Apodiformes

Swifts, Treeswifts, and Hummingbirds. Nothing is ineligible. All are precious.

Highlights include the Bee Hummingbird, the smallest dinosaur known to science; the Common Swift, which looks like a boomerang; Eocypselus, an early relative of all these groups; and anything of the genera Sappho and Lesbia, which are the best genus names I’ve ever heard of.

Columbaves

Cuckoos, Turacos, Bustards, Pigeons, Doves, Sandgrouse, and Mesites. Genus Columba is ineligible, so don’t write in any of the “typical pigeons.” 

Highlights include the Dodo, which is not as dumb as we were lead to believe; the Bare-Faced Go-Away Bird, which represents Me at All Times; the Nicobar Pigeon, which has beautiful rainbow plumage; and the Kori Bustard, which has a really elegant neck and posture IMO. 

Gruiformes

Cranes, Crakes, Rails, Limpkin, Trumpeters, Flufftails, Finfoots, and Sungrebes. Nothing is ineligible. 

Highlights include the Whooping Crane, an endangered species with a distinctive call; the White-Spotted Flufftail, who has adorable spots on its butt; the Red-Legged Crake, which is red in lots of places besides its legs; and the Sungrebe, which has a nice blue cap on its head. 

Mirandornithes & Charadriiformes

Flamingos, Grebes, Waders, Snipes, Sandpipers, Jacanas, Wanderers, Gulls, Skimmers, Terns, Puffins, Skuas, Plovers, Buttonquails, Thick-Knees, Sheathbills, Ibisbills, Avocets, Oystercatchers, and Lapwings. Nothing is ineligible. 

Highlights include the Great Auk, an extinct large puffin that we as humans don’t deserve; the Ring-Billed Gull, whom I have a personal vendetta against; the Dovekie, a smol, adorable friend; and the Sanderling, one of the inspirations behind Pixar’s Piper. 

Ardeae

Tropicbirds, Kagu, Sunbittern, Loons, Albatross, Petrels, Storkss, Boobies, Cormorants, Pelicans, Hamerkop, Ibises, Spoonbills, Herons, Egrets, and Penguins. The genus Balaeniceps is ineligible, so don’t write in the Shoebill. 

Highlights include the Little Penguin, the smol adorable penguin of smol adorableness; the Least Bittern, who is indeed the Least Bittern; the Common Loon, against whom my partner Max (@plokool) has a personal vendetta; and the Emperor Penguin, which is the Pinnacle of Dinosaurian Evolution according to Thomas Holtz (well, okay, he said penguins in general were, but this is the emperor penguin, so...) 

Accipitrimorphs 

Vultures (both Old and New world), Ospreys, Hawks, Eagles, Kites. Genera Sagittarius and Gypaetus are ineligible, so don’t write in the Secretary Bird, or the Bearded Vulture. No, do not write in the Bearded Vulture, nor Lammergeier, nor Ossifrage. You will have wasted your vote. Do not do the thing. It doesn’t count. 

Highlights include Haast’s Eagle, an eagle so large it hunted the Moa; the Harpy Eagle, which honestly when you see it if you aren’t convinced birds are dinosaurs there’s nothing more I can do; the Turkey Vulture, or as I like to call it, the Bare-Faced Come-Hither Bird; and the Red-Tailed Hawk, aka, that sound you hear when people try to ignore that Bald Eagles are actually huge dorks. 

Strigiformes

Owls. Genus Tyto is ineligible, which is basically all barn owls and most of their close relatives, so just, don’t write that in. 

Highlights include Palaeoglaux, one of the earliest derived forms and may have been diurnal; the Burrowing Owl, who likes to dig them holes; the Snowy Owl, aka Hedwig; and the Fearful Owl, who looks exactly like what you’d expect. 

Coraciimorphs

Mousebirds, Cuckoo Roller, Trogons, Hornbills, Hoopoes, Rollers, Kingfishers, Woodpeckers, Toucans. Genus Dacelo is ineligible, which means no Kookaburras, none, do not write one in. 

Highlights include Septencoracias, aka a Friend and Boy; the Hoopoe, aka the Most Jewish bird; the Resplendent Quetzal, which truly is magnificently colored; and the Keel-Billed Toucan, who just really loves fruit okay?

Falconiformes & Cariamiformes

Serimas, Terror Birds, Bathornithids, Caracaras, and Falcons. Genus Titanis is ineligible, as is Falco peregrinus, the peregrine falcon. Since most falcons are under Falco, the rest of the genus is eligible. 

Highlights Include Phorusrhacos, one of the most Quintessential Terror Birds; the Red-Legged Seriema, who is just a very angry bird; the Pygmy Falcon, who is a Smol Ball of FURY; and the Northern Crested Caracara, who has distinctive purple-pinkish skin on its face. 

Parrots

... Parrots. The Kakapo, genus Strigops, is ineligible. 

Highlights include the Cockatiel, a common pet and soft friend; the African Grey Parrot, one of the smartest species of dinosaurs; Spix’s Macaw, a beautiful blue parrot on the brink of extinction; and the Mulga Parrot, a parrot with feathers that almost look like clay in certain lighting. 

Passerines

Perching birds. The vast majority of birds. Most birds are in this group. I am so sorry. Includes, but is not limited to, Pittas, Broadbills, Cotingas, Sharpbills, Flycatchers, Antthrushes, Ovenbirds, Lyrebirds, Scrub-birds, Bowerbirds, Honeyeaters, Fairywrens, Whistlers, Orioles, Vireos, Birds of Paradise, Jays, Satinbirds, Wattlebirds, Rockfowl, Tits, Chickadees, Larks, Nicators, Wren-Babblers, Swallows, Warblers, Babblers, Waxwings, Treecreepers, Thrushes, Oxpeckers, Mockingbirds, Sugarbirds, Sunbirds, Sparrows, Finches, Buntings, Cardinals, Whistlers, Woodshrikes. 

The genus Corvus is ineligible, which is a good portion of crows and ravens, so don’t write them in. There are so many passerines to choose from, you can pick another one. 

It’s, nearly impossible to pick four highlights, but here we go. Highlights include the Blue Jay, one of the most famous and beautiful perching birds; the Superb Bird of Paradise, who has one of the most spectacular mating dances of birds; the Great Tit, who truly is an amazing soft sphere of birb; and the House Sparrow, a feature of almost every major city and one of the dinosaurs often used to define the clade.

Good luck. Have fun. Voting will close February 24 (possibly earlier if we get enough votes in).