Lesser Nothura

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Lesser Nothura

Conservation status
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Tinamiformes
Family: Tinamidae
Genus: Nothura
Species: N. minor
Binomial name
Nothura minor
(Spix, 1825)

The Lesser Nothura (Nothura minor) is a type of Tinamou found in lowland dry grassland habitats in subtropical and tropical regions up to 200 to 1000m altitude. This species is known from south-central Brazil and sites in north-eastern Paraguay at Laguna Blanca, San Pedro department. The status of the species is evaluated as Vulnerable.

Contents

[edit] Habitats

The Lesser Nothura inhabits lowland dry grassland habitats of subtropical/ tropical regions at an altitude range of 200 to 1,000m.

[edit] Characteristics

The Lesser Nothura is approximately 18 cm in length. It has a blackish crown with yellowish mottling. Its face is warm buff with a paler throat. The irides are brown or pale, dull yellowish. Its neck is yellowish-buff spotted dark brown, becoming streaky towards the breast. The upperparts are blackish-brown barred rufous with creamy fringes and wings barred dusky. The rest of the underparts are pale buff with some brownish markings on the flanks. As some individuals are noticeably darker than others, it is sometimes considered polymorphic. Its legs are dull yellowish. Its voice consists of long, high-pitched and metallic peeeeep whistles.

[edit] Threats

The habitats inhabited by Lesser Nothura are being rapidly destroyed by mechanised agriculture, intensive cattle-ranching, afforestation, invasive grasses, excessive use of pesticides and annual burning. By 1993, two-thirds of the Cerrado region had been heavily or moderately altered, with most of the destruction having occurred since 1950.

[edit] Conservation measures

The Lesser Nothura is protected under Brazilian law, and conserved in Brasília National Park, Emas National Park and Serra da Canastra National Park, IBGE Roncador Biological Reserve, Itapetininga Experimental Station and Itirapina Experimental Station. It may still occur in Serra do Cipó National Park and Chapada dos Veadeiros National Park. It has been proposed to survey suitable habitat in Serra do Cipó National Park and Chapada dos Veadeiros National Park, using tape-playback. It was also proposed to identify other unprotected areas of suitable habitat in north-eastern Paraguay, north and west Minas Gerais, and Goiás.

[edit] References

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