Get 20M+ Full-Text Papers For Less Than $1.50/day. Start a 14-Day Trial for You or Your Team.

Learn More →

The juvenile plumage of Sharp-tailed Tyrant Culicivora caudacuta (Aves: Tyrannidae)

The juvenile plumage of Sharp-tailed Tyrant Culicivora caudacuta (Aves: Tyrannidae) Revista Brasileira de Ornitologia 25(2): 122 2 2–124. SHORT-COMMUNIC ARA TICLE TION June 2017 Th e juvenile plumage of Sharp-tailed Tyrant Culicivora caudacuta (Aves: Tyrannidae) 1,2 Paul Smith Para La Tierra, Centro IDEAL, Mariscal Estigarribia 321 casi Tte Capurro, Pilar, Paraguay & FAUNA Paraguay, Encarnación, Paraguay. Corresponding author: faunaparaguay@gmail.com Received on 08 May 2016. Accepted on 26 June 2017. ABSTRACT: Th e juvenile plumage shortly after fl edging of the globally threatened grassland fl ycatcher Sharp-tailed Tyrant Culicivora caudacuta (Aves: Tyrannidae) is described in full for the fi rst time. Th is plumage is substantially diff erent from the adult, most notably in the head pattern, tail length and dorsal coloration. Confusion in the field with female Bearded Tachuri Polystictus pectoralis s is possible. KEY-WORDS: Bearded Tachuri, natural grasslands, Polystictus pectoralis, vulnerable. The Shar p-tailed Tyrant Culicivora caudacuta (Aves: consequently a more thorough description is provided Tyrannidae) is a small, unobtrusive, semi-social, here. insectivorous fl ycatcher that occurs in natural grasslands Th e most obvious diff erence distinguishing juveniles in central South America (eastern Bolivia, central and from adults is the rufous-orange head, slightly browner eastern Brazil, eastern Paraguay and northern Argentina) on the crown and nape and showing some trace of dark (Fitzpatrick 2004, Lopes et alll. 2010). The species is brown markings on the crown, but totally lacking the locally common in most of its range, but its dependence bold facial stripes. Th roat and upper breast creamy. Rest on natural grasslands and inability to tolerate moderate of underparts warm buff, thou gh slightly more creamy on levels of habitat perturbation means that it disappears the vent. Dorsally the mantle is brownish-rufous, broadly rapidly from suboptimal areas and it is suspected to be spotted darker. Wings and tail dark brown with pale declining rapidly. Consequently it is considered globally brown feather edges, giving a hint of two pale wing bars. “Vulnerable” (BirdLife International 2017). Edges of tertials more brownish-rufous like the mantle. Little is known about the breeding ecology of the Regarding soft parts, the bill is mostly black, with orange species. In northern Argentina breeding occurs from base to the lower mandible, gape is bright orange, legs are October to late March, with two or three cream-colored black and the iris is dark brown (Fig. 1). ggs (14–18.7 × 10.3–12.4 mm) laid in an elaborate open Th e most notable change between this juvenile cup of grasses, spiderwebs, plant fib ers and thistledown, plumage and that of adults occurs on the head and located low in isolated shrubbery close to the ground. upperparts. The rufous coloration of the head is almost The cu p has an external diameter of 5 cm, an internal entirely lost, being retained only on the ear coverts, and diameter of 3 cm and a depth of 4 cm. Th e incubation the mantle becomes browner and more heavily streaked. period is 15 to 16 days, and chicks are in the nest for 9 to No data is yet available as to when or how these changes 14 days (Di Giacomo 2005). occur, but an online image of a begging juvenile with Th e juvenile plumage has apparently never been a fully grown tail from Reserva Provincial Santa Maria, satisfactorily described, with the only published references Corrientes province, Argentina (Meoniz 2015) shows a I was able to fi nd stating simply that the juvenile is “buff y” paler breast and midbelly, only traces of dark streaking (Parker-III & Willis 1997) or “more buff y overall” than on the sides of the crown, a very thin dark ocular line the adult (Fitzpatrick 2004). However, field observations and some slight whitening of the posterior superciliary, of three recently fl edged juveniles at Estancia Kanguery, whilst the forehead and face remain strongly rufous and Área a para Parque Nacional San Rafael, Itapúa Department the bill color is retained from the juvenile. Th e image is on 5 April 2016 (Fig. 1) suggest that this greatly over- dated 8 December 2015, which, assuming early breeding simplifi es the diff erences from the adult plumage and in October, suggests that the juvenile plumage may only Revista Brasileira de Ornitologia 25(2): 2017 The juvenile plumage of Sharp-tailed Tyrant Culicivora caudacuta Smith Figure 1. Juvenile Culicivora caudacuta in ventral ( ( (A A A) and dorsal (B) views at Kanguery, Área para Parque Nacional San Rafael, Itapúa Department, 5 April 2016. Photo author: P. Smith. be retained for a few months before adult traits become reluctance to fly su ggested that they had recently left the visible. nest. The birds were a pproachable to within a few meters, Th e three juveniles were accompanied by two but this elicited alarm-calling from the adults and gaping adult birds. Th e short tail of the juvenile birds and their postures (revealing the bright orange mouth-lining) from Revista Brasileira de Ornitologia 25(2): 2017 The juvenile plumage of Sharp-tailed Tyrant Culicivora caudacuta Smith the juveniles. All three birds were capable of limited flight, REFERENCES landing clumsily on low branches. At least during this BirdLife International. 2017. Species factsheet:  Culicivora caudacuta. early short-tailed stage confusion at distance is potentially http://www.birdlife.org (access on 5 May 2017). possible with female or non-breeding plumages of the Di Giacomo A.G. 2005. Aves de la Reserva El Bagual. p. 201–465. In: Di Giacomo A.G. & Krapovickas S.F. (eds.). Historia natural widely sympatric Bearded Tachuri Polystictus pectoralis. y paisaje de la Reserva El Bagual, provincia de Formosa, Argentina. However, the much more rufous coloration of the head Buenos Aires: Temas de naturaleza y conservación, Monografía de and the bright orange gape, coupled with the clearly aves Argentinas No. 4. Fitzpatrick J.W. 2004. Sharp-tailed Tyrant Culicivora caudacuta, juvenile state of the birds should suffice for a correct p. 287–288. In: del Hoyo J., Elliott A. & Christie D. (eds.). identification. Handbook of the birds of the world, v. 9 (cotingas to pipits and wagtails). Barcelona: Lynx Editions. Lopes L.E., Malacco G.B., Alteff E.F., Vasconcelos M.F, Hoffmann D. & Silveira L.F. 2010. Range extensions and conservation of ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS some threatened or little known Brazilian grassland birds. Bird Conservation Internationall 20: 84–94. Meoniz P. 2015. Tachurí Coludo (Culicivora caudacuta a) http://www. Thanks to Davi d and Elizabeth Winterbottom ecoregistros.org/site/imagen.php?id=128297 (access on 5 May 2017). who funded this trip, and to Daniel Pedro Ruíz Díaz Parker-III T.A. & Willis E.O. 1997. Notes on three tiny grassland who accompanied us in the fi eld. I am grateful to the fl ycatchers, with comments on the disappearance of South American fi re-diversifi ed savannas. Ornithological Monographs s 48: PRONII program of CONACYT for their support, and 549-555. to the work of Pro Cosara and Guyra Paraguay for the preservation of natural habitats in the San Rafael area. Associate Editor: Luis F. Silveira. Revista Brasileira de Ornitologia 25(2): 2017 http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Ornithology Research Springer Journals

The juvenile plumage of Sharp-tailed Tyrant Culicivora caudacuta (Aves: Tyrannidae)

Smith, Paul
Ornithology Research , Volume 25 (2) – Jun 1, 2017
Download PDF
3 pages

Loading next page...
 
/lp/springer-journals/the-juvenile-plumage-of-sharp-tailed-tyrant-culicivora-caudacuta-aves-JGmWRGgBoO
Publisher
Springer Journals
Copyright
Copyright © Sociedade Brasileira de Ornitologia 2017
eISSN
2178-7875
DOI
10.1007/bf03544387
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

Revista Brasileira de Ornitologia 25(2): 122 2 2–124. SHORT-COMMUNIC ARA TICLE TION June 2017 Th e juvenile plumage of Sharp-tailed Tyrant Culicivora caudacuta (Aves: Tyrannidae) 1,2 Paul Smith Para La Tierra, Centro IDEAL, Mariscal Estigarribia 321 casi Tte Capurro, Pilar, Paraguay & FAUNA Paraguay, Encarnación, Paraguay. Corresponding author: faunaparaguay@gmail.com Received on 08 May 2016. Accepted on 26 June 2017. ABSTRACT: Th e juvenile plumage shortly after fl edging of the globally threatened grassland fl ycatcher Sharp-tailed Tyrant Culicivora caudacuta (Aves: Tyrannidae) is described in full for the fi rst time. Th is plumage is substantially diff erent from the adult, most notably in the head pattern, tail length and dorsal coloration. Confusion in the field with female Bearded Tachuri Polystictus pectoralis s is possible. KEY-WORDS: Bearded Tachuri, natural grasslands, Polystictus pectoralis, vulnerable. The Shar p-tailed Tyrant Culicivora caudacuta (Aves: consequently a more thorough description is provided Tyrannidae) is a small, unobtrusive, semi-social, here. insectivorous fl ycatcher that occurs in natural grasslands Th e most obvious diff erence distinguishing juveniles in central South America (eastern Bolivia, central and from adults is the rufous-orange head, slightly browner eastern Brazil, eastern Paraguay and northern Argentina) on the crown and nape and showing some trace of dark (Fitzpatrick 2004, Lopes et alll. 2010). The species is brown markings on the crown, but totally lacking the locally common in most of its range, but its dependence bold facial stripes. Th roat and upper breast creamy. Rest on natural grasslands and inability to tolerate moderate of underparts warm buff, thou gh slightly more creamy on levels of habitat perturbation means that it disappears the vent. Dorsally the mantle is brownish-rufous, broadly rapidly from suboptimal areas and it is suspected to be spotted darker. Wings and tail dark brown with pale declining rapidly. Consequently it is considered globally brown feather edges, giving a hint of two pale wing bars. “Vulnerable” (BirdLife International 2017). Edges of tertials more brownish-rufous like the mantle. Little is known about the breeding ecology of the Regarding soft parts, the bill is mostly black, with orange species. In northern Argentina breeding occurs from base to the lower mandible, gape is bright orange, legs are October to late March, with two or three cream-colored black and the iris is dark brown (Fig. 1). ggs (14–18.7 × 10.3–12.4 mm) laid in an elaborate open Th e most notable change between this juvenile cup of grasses, spiderwebs, plant fib ers and thistledown, plumage and that of adults occurs on the head and located low in isolated shrubbery close to the ground. upperparts. The rufous coloration of the head is almost The cu p has an external diameter of 5 cm, an internal entirely lost, being retained only on the ear coverts, and diameter of 3 cm and a depth of 4 cm. Th e incubation the mantle becomes browner and more heavily streaked. period is 15 to 16 days, and chicks are in the nest for 9 to No data is yet available as to when or how these changes 14 days (Di Giacomo 2005). occur, but an online image of a begging juvenile with Th e juvenile plumage has apparently never been a fully grown tail from Reserva Provincial Santa Maria, satisfactorily described, with the only published references Corrientes province, Argentina (Meoniz 2015) shows a I was able to fi nd stating simply that the juvenile is “buff y” paler breast and midbelly, only traces of dark streaking (Parker-III & Willis 1997) or “more buff y overall” than on the sides of the crown, a very thin dark ocular line the adult (Fitzpatrick 2004). However, field observations and some slight whitening of the posterior superciliary, of three recently fl edged juveniles at Estancia Kanguery, whilst the forehead and face remain strongly rufous and Área a para Parque Nacional San Rafael, Itapúa Department the bill color is retained from the juvenile. Th e image is on 5 April 2016 (Fig. 1) suggest that this greatly over- dated 8 December 2015, which, assuming early breeding simplifi es the diff erences from the adult plumage and in October, suggests that the juvenile plumage may only Revista Brasileira de Ornitologia 25(2): 2017 The juvenile plumage of Sharp-tailed Tyrant Culicivora caudacuta Smith Figure 1. Juvenile Culicivora caudacuta in ventral ( ( (A A A) and dorsal (B) views at Kanguery, Área para Parque Nacional San Rafael, Itapúa Department, 5 April 2016. Photo author: P. Smith. be retained for a few months before adult traits become reluctance to fly su ggested that they had recently left the visible. nest. The birds were a pproachable to within a few meters, Th e three juveniles were accompanied by two but this elicited alarm-calling from the adults and gaping adult birds. Th e short tail of the juvenile birds and their postures (revealing the bright orange mouth-lining) from Revista Brasileira de Ornitologia 25(2): 2017 The juvenile plumage of Sharp-tailed Tyrant Culicivora caudacuta Smith the juveniles. All three birds were capable of limited flight, REFERENCES landing clumsily on low branches. At least during this BirdLife International. 2017. Species factsheet:  Culicivora caudacuta. early short-tailed stage confusion at distance is potentially http://www.birdlife.org (access on 5 May 2017). possible with female or non-breeding plumages of the Di Giacomo A.G. 2005. Aves de la Reserva El Bagual. p. 201–465. In: Di Giacomo A.G. & Krapovickas S.F. (eds.). Historia natural widely sympatric Bearded Tachuri Polystictus pectoralis. y paisaje de la Reserva El Bagual, provincia de Formosa, Argentina. However, the much more rufous coloration of the head Buenos Aires: Temas de naturaleza y conservación, Monografía de and the bright orange gape, coupled with the clearly aves Argentinas No. 4. Fitzpatrick J.W. 2004. Sharp-tailed Tyrant Culicivora caudacuta, juvenile state of the birds should suffice for a correct p. 287–288. In: del Hoyo J., Elliott A. & Christie D. (eds.). identification. Handbook of the birds of the world, v. 9 (cotingas to pipits and wagtails). Barcelona: Lynx Editions. Lopes L.E., Malacco G.B., Alteff E.F., Vasconcelos M.F, Hoffmann D. & Silveira L.F. 2010. Range extensions and conservation of ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS some threatened or little known Brazilian grassland birds. Bird Conservation Internationall 20: 84–94. Meoniz P. 2015. Tachurí Coludo (Culicivora caudacuta a) http://www. Thanks to Davi d and Elizabeth Winterbottom ecoregistros.org/site/imagen.php?id=128297 (access on 5 May 2017). who funded this trip, and to Daniel Pedro Ruíz Díaz Parker-III T.A. & Willis E.O. 1997. Notes on three tiny grassland who accompanied us in the fi eld. I am grateful to the fl ycatchers, with comments on the disappearance of South American fi re-diversifi ed savannas. Ornithological Monographs s 48: PRONII program of CONACYT for their support, and 549-555. to the work of Pro Cosara and Guyra Paraguay for the preservation of natural habitats in the San Rafael area. Associate Editor: Luis F. Silveira. Revista Brasileira de Ornitologia 25(2): 2017

Journal

Ornithology Research – Springer Journals

Published: Jun 1, 2017

Keywords: Bearded Tachuri; natural grasslands; Polystictus pectoralis; vulnerable

References

  • Aves de la Reserva El Bagual
    Di Giacomo, AG; Di Giacomo, AG; Krapovickas, SF
  • Sharp-tailed Tyrant Culicivora caudacuta
    Fitzpatrick, JW; del Hoyo, J; Elliott, A; Christie, D
  • Range extensions and conservation of some threatened or little known Brazilian grassland birds
    Lopes, LE; Malacco, GB; Alteff, EF; Vasconcelos, MF; Hoffmann, D; Silveira, LF
  • Notes on three tiny grassland flycatchers, with comments on the disappearance of South American fire-diversified savannas
    Parker, TA; Willis, EO