DOCSLIB.ORG

Status and Recent Sightings of Ocellated Quail

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text

Load more

Status and recent sightings of ocellated quail JACK CLINTON EITNIEAR 1* and KNUT EISERMANN 2 1 Center for the Study of Tropical Birds, Inc., San Antonio, Texas, U.S.A. 2 PROEVAL RAXMU Bird Monitoring Program, Cobán, Alta Verapaz, Guatemala. *Correspondence author - [email protected] Paper presented at the 2 nd Workshop on Neotropical Quail: status, conservation and research, 2006, Veracruz, Mexico. Abstract Ocellated quail is a poorly known and little studied species, rarely observed in the wild. It occurs from south western Mexico through Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras and north central Nicaragua. Montezuma and ocellated quail are biogeographically separated by the tropical lowlands of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, in south western Mexico and are believed to be allopatric replacement forms. Collections for museums and observations in the wild have been sparse over the last 50 years. This paper reports recent observations and their proximity to protected areas. Keywords Cyrtonyx, El Salvador, Honduras, Mexico, Near-threatened, ocellated quail. Introduction threatened in 2004. Due to insufficient data (Data Deficient) a recent evaluation resulted in Johnsgard (1973) reports that ocellated quail retaining the current threat category (Birdlife Cyrtonyx ocellatus can be distinguished from its International, 2008). This paper reports on closest relative, the Montezuma quail C. recent sightings of the species in relation to montezumae of southern Mexico, by reduced protected areas within its range and suggests white lateral spotting to their anterior portions that its threat category should be upgraded to and dark chestnut posterior flank spots in Vulnerable. Montezuma quail. On male ocellated quails their midbreast and upper abdominal areas are much lighter, generally buffy or slightly tawny colour and instead of gray flanks with chestnut spotting they have chestnut flanks with black and gray cross-markings (FIG . 1). While separation of the male ocellatus and montezumae is fairly easy (by lack of the chestnut coloured flanks in ocellatus ), females are very similar (FIG . 2) with the only difference being that ocellatus is, on average, only slightly less buffy dorsally (Johnsgard, 1988). Binford (1989) states that in Mexico the species occurs from 1,000 - 3,000 m in upland oak- shrub vegetation. Similarly, in Central America, the species’ preferred habitat is considered to be open pine woodlands and adjacent grassy slopes and fields from 1,500 - 3,000 m in the central highlands (Howell & Webb, 1995). Considered as an “indicator species” of the pine-oak zone with its dense herbaceous understory, it feeds on acorns, bulb-bearing forbs and seeds of grasses and sedges. This flora is able to survive selective logging and infrequent fire, but is less tolerant of FIG . 1 Male ocellated quail, front, back, grazing. Considered Low Risk by the IUCN in side views (Photos: Tom Schulenberg - FMNH- 1988 the species was up-listed to Near- Chicago). © 2009 World Pheasant Association. International Journal of Galliformes Conservation, 1, 85–93 86 J. C. Eitniear and K. Eisermann inhospitable, so likely continue to provide some sanctuary for the quail, but verification that the species is extant in this area, at the periphery of the species range, is required. FIG . 2 Female ocellated quail (2 right specimens) and Montezuma quail females (2 FIG . 3 Ocellated quail sites in Mexico. 1) Cerro left specimens) (Photo: John P. O’Neill - LSU). Baul and Tapanatepec, Oaxaca; 2) Recent sightings near Ocosingo, Chiapas; 3) Parque Methods Nacional Lagos de Montebello & 4) Montes Azules Biosphere Reserve. Cyrtonyx quail are seldom recorded during avifaunal surveys due to their lack of "flushing" In Chiapas, Howell (1999) observed the quail behaviour. In addition to a literature review, we near Chanal. However, members of the NGO derived information on species status and PRONATURA:Chiapas studying the golden- distribution from a variety of sources including cheeked warblers Dendroica chrysoparia have data from museum specimens (ORNIS 2007), yet to confirm the species presence within the documented sightings from birdwatchers and pine-oak forest of the region (Claudia Macias birding tours, ornithologists in the region (often Caballero in litt .). studying other species within the same floral community) and individuals working on regional Communication with birding tour companies atlases. that visit the forest along the highway near Ocosingo en route to Tuxtla Gutiérrez, has Results resulted in only two sightings in over twenty roadside searches. The first in April 2005 was between Ocosingo and Comitán (Mark Mexico While the principle range of Montezuma quail is Stackhouse, [Westwings, Inc.] per. comm. ) and within Mexico, only a small portion of the range the second in March 2003 near Parque Nacional of ocellated quail is within the Republic. Lagunas de Montebello (Rick Taylor [Borderland Occurring from south eastern Oaxaca into Tours] per. comm.). It is reported (Birdlife International, 2008) that ocellatus is likely Chiapas (FIG . 3) only a few sightings have been occur in the Reserva de Biosfera Montes Azules recorded within the past few decades. as there is suitable pine-oak forest located in Historically (the majority in the 1960’s), a the north eastern section of the reserve at number of specimens (TABLE 1) have been altitudes greater than 850 m. Additionally, collected in Oaxaca, near the more coastal pine-oak forest suitable for the species can be areas of Cerro Baul and Tapanatepec at found in the 6,022 ha Parque Nacional Lagunas elevations of 1000 - 2000 m in regions composed of tropical evergreen and cloud forest de Montebello (Arizmendi & Márquez- as well as humid pine-oak (Binford, 1989). Valdelamar, 2000). However, it is doubtful that Mexico supports a viable population of ocellated While areas of human habitation are some distance away, the rural areas are populated by quail. Human encroachment into the highlands Mixteca Indians. The pine-oak canyons are and the limited amount of suitable habitat © 2009 World Pheasant Association. International Journal of Galliformes Conservation, 1, 85–93 Ocellated quail 87 (Gordillo-Martinez, 2000) are likely to result in MCZ161033 Hatillo the species being considered “en peligro de MCZ162755 Vasquez Mts extinción" (Endangered)” by the Government of MCZ162754 Monte Redondo Mexico. MCZ280195 Morazan UMMZ150015 Comayagua UMMZ150016 Comayagua TABLE 1. Ocellated quail specimens in museums (ORNIS, 2008). Identification number and El Salvador collection locality are given. FMNH=Field UCLA18275 Chalatenango Museum of Natural History; UCLA=University of UCLA18318 Chalatenango California:Los Angeles; MCZ=Museum of UCLA18373 Chalatenango Comparative Zoology:Harvard; UMM=University UCLA18383 Chalatenango of Michigan Museum; KUNHM=Kansas FMNH111222 Chalatenango University Natural History Museum; CU=Cornell University Museum Vertebrates; LSU=Lousiana Guatemala State University; WFVZ=Western Foundation According to the most recent vegetation for Vertebrate Zoology mapping (Ministerio de Agricultura Gandería y 2 Alimentación, 2006), 2,438 km at elevations of Mexico over 900 m support conifer forest, and 6,282 2 2 WFVZ16952 Oaxaca km mixed forest, a total of 8720 km of WFVZ16953 Oaxaca potential quail habitat in Guatemala. The WFVZ16951 Oaxaca largest fragments of habitat are available in the WFVZ12511 Oaxaca departments of Huehuetenango, Quiché, Baja WFVZ10921 Oaxaca Verapaz, San Marcos, Totonicapán, Sololá, and WFVZ8840 Chiapas Chimaltenango (FIG . 4, TABLE 2). WFVZ10923 Oaxaca WFVZ8841 Chiapas WFVZ10924 Oaxaca WFVZ10922 Oaxaca FMNH208639 Chiapas FMNH208638 Chiapas LSUMZ39410 Chiapas LSUMZ43420 Chiapas KUNHM103299 Chiapas UMMZ110112 Chiapas MCZ135452 Oaxaca Guatemala CU34085 Guatemala FMNH23332 Chimaltenango FMNH188191 Zacapa MCZ145693 Antigua MCZ193722 Zacapa MCZ193522 Zacapa MCZ193523 Zacapa KUNHM37191 Solola UMMZ155238 Zacapa FIG . 4 Areas of suitable habitat in Guatemala. Light green = quail habitat within protected Honduras areas, dark green = unprotected quail habitat, FMNH411464 Tegucigalpa FMNH411465 Tegucigalpa grey shade = protected areas (according to FMNH411466 Tegucigalpa CONAP, 2007). Numbers codify department FMNH411467 Tegucigalpa names (see TABLE 2). FMNH411468 Tegucigalpa FMNH411469 Tegucigalpa Of the 8,720 km 2 of potential habitat, only FMNH411975 Santa Barbara about 10% (900 km 2) is legally protected. The FMNH412670 Tegucigalpa protected areas covering more than 1% of the FMNH412671 Santa Barbara potential habitat of ocellated quail in Guatemala FMNH412672 Tegucigalpa FMNH412673 Tegucigalpa are, Área de Uso Múltiple Cuenca del Lago FMNH413620 Tegucigalpa Atitlán (3.2%), Reserva de Biosfera Sierra de FMNH414355 Yoro las Minas (2.0%), Reserva de Biosfera Visís MCZ158061 El Durrumbo Cabá (1.5%), and Parque Regional Altos de San MCZ161001 Hatillo Miguel Totonicapán (1.1%). MCZ161032 Cerro Cantoral © 2009 World Pheasant Association. International Journal of Galliformes Conservation, 1, 85–93 88 J. C. Eitniear and K. Eisermann In addition to low coverage by protected areas, within the next 10 years. In addition to the many of Guatemala's reserves lack appropriate growing human population, habitat is management, park rangers or other on-site threatened by mining. Of the available habitat presence of state authorities. Applying IUCN for ocellated quail, 2380 km 2 (27% of the total Red List criteria (IUCN, 2001; 2003), Eisermann habitat) are located within areas used or & Avendaño (2006) evaluated ocellated
Recommended publications
  • Spatial Ecology of Montezuma Quail in the Davis Mountains of Texas

    Spatial Ecology of Montezuma Quail in the Davis Mountains of Texas

    ECOLOGY OF MONTEZUMA QUAIL IN THE DAVIS MOUNTAINS OF TEXAS A Thesis By CURTIS D. GREENE Submitted to the School of Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences Sul Ross State University, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF SCIENCE December 2011 Major Subject: Range and Wildlife Management ECOLOGY OF MONTEZUMA QUAIL IN THE DAVIS MOUNTAINS OF TEXAS A Thesis By CURTIS D. GREENE Approved as to style and content by: _______________________________ ____________________________ Louis A. Harveson, Ph.D. Dale Rollins, Ph.D. (Chair of Committee) (Member) ____________________________ Patricia Moody Harveson, Ph.D. (Member) _______________________ Robert J. Kinucan, Ph.D. Dean of Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences ABSTRACT Montezuma quail (Cyrtonyx montezumae) occur throughout the desert mountain ranges in the Trans Pecos of Texas as well as the states of New Mexico and Arizona. Limited information on life history and ecology of the species is available due to the cryptic nature of the bird. Home range, movements, and preferred habitats have been speculated upon in previous literature with the use of observational or anecdotal data. With modern trapping techniques and technologically advanced radio transmitters, Montezuma quail have been successfully monitored providing assessments of their ecology with the use of hard data. The objective of this study was to monitor Montezuma quail to determine home range size, movements, habitat preference, and assess population dynamics for the Davis Mountains population. Over the course of two years (2009 – 2010) a total of 72 birds (36M, 35F, 1 Undetermined) were captured. Thirteen individuals with >25 locations per bird were evaluated in the home range, movement, and habitat selection analyses.
  • Evaluation of Northern Bobwhite and Scaled Quail in Western Oklahoma

    Evaluation of Northern Bobwhite and Scaled Quail in Western Oklahoma

    P-1054 Research Summary: Evaluation of Northern Bobwhite and Scaled Quail in Western Oklahoma Oklahoma Agricultural Experiment Station Division of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources Oklahoma State University Research Summary: Evaluation of Northern Bobwhite and Scaled Quail in Western Oklahoma Researchers involved in this study included: Kent Andersson Senior Research Specialist Eric Thacker Post-Doctoral Researcher Matt Carroll, PhD Evan Tanner, PhD Jeremy Orange, MS Rachel Carroll, MS Cameron Duquette, MS Craig Davis Professor and Bollenbach Chair in Wildlife Management Sam Fuhlendorf Professor and Groendyke Chair in Wildlife Conservation Dwayne Elmore Extension Wildlife Specialist, Professor and Bollenbach Chair in Wildlife Management Introduction Results and Implications There are two species of native quail that occur Survival in Oklahoma, the northern bobwhite (hereafter bobwhite), and the scaled quail (or blue quail). During the study, 1,051 mortalities were Both of these species are popular with hunters and recorded at Packsaddle Wildlife Management landowners. Due to a concern about declining Area. Forty-four percent were attributed to quail populations in the state, a cooperative quail mammals, 33 percent to raptors, 9 percent to study between Oklahoma State University and the hunter harvest, 5 percent to unknown predation, Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation 3 percent to weather exposure and 7 percent to was conducted on the Packsaddle and Beaver miscellaneous causes. River Wildlife Management Areas from 2011- At Beaver River Wildlife Management Area, 2017. Broadly, the project was intended to 929 mortalities were recorded. Forty-seven document survival, nest success, brood success, percent were attributed to mammals, 27 percent habitat selection, genetics and movement of quail.
  • Winter Food of Oklahoma Quail* by Lois Gould Bird and R

    Winter Food of Oklahoma Quail* by Lois Gould Bird and R

    Winter Food of Oklahoma Quail 293 WINTER FOOD OF OKLAHOMA QUAIL* BY LOIS GOULD BIRD AND R. D. BIRD This study is based upon an examination of the crops of 138 quail taken in nineteen counties of Oklahoma. Of these, 135 were taken in December, 1929, during the latter part of the quail season and were sent to us by the state game rangers in response to a request made to Mr. Marsh B. Woodruff, then Assistant Game Warden. Three crops were taken in November by R. D. Bird. With the exception of four crops from Arizona Scaled Quail (Callipepla squamata pallida) from Cimmarron County, they were all from Bob-white (Colinus virginianus virginianus). The study of the winter food of birds is important because winter is the critical time of food gathering. It is then that food is scarcest. Food taken from bird crops is easily studied, for the contents have not been subjected to the process of digestion and are not affected by chemical action. The crop is a membranous, sac-like region of the oesophagus, easily distensible, which is used for the reception of food. Its capacity is from four to six times that of the gizzard. (2, p. 28). Seeds and insects in the crop, although in some cases broken and dirty, are in practically the same condition as when lying on the ground. PREVIOUS WORK Dr. Sylvester D. Judd, of the United States Biological Survey, who has made extensive studies of the food of the Bob-white, states: “The Bob-white is probably the most useful abundant species on the farm.
  • Northern Bobwhite Colinus Virginianus Photo by SC DNR

    Northern Bobwhite Colinus Virginianus Photo by SC DNR

    Supplemental Volume: Species of Conservation Concern SC SWAP 2015 Northern Bobwhite Colinus virginianus Photo by SC DNR Contributor (2005): Billy Dukes (SCDNR) Reviewed and Edited (2012): Billy Dukes (SCDNR) DESCRIPTION Taxonomy and Basic Description In 1748, Catesby gave the Bobwhite quail the name Perdix sylvestris virginiana. In 1758, Linnaeus dropped the generic name Perdix and substituted Tetrao. The generic name Colinus was first used by Goldfuss in 1820 and, despite several ensuing name changes, became the accepted nomenclature (Rosene 1984). Bobwhite quail are members of the family Odontophoridae, the New World quail. Bobwhite quail are predominantly reddish-brown, with lesser amounts of white, brown, gray and black throughout. Both sexes have a dark stripe that originates at the beak and runs through the eye to the base of the skull. In males, the stripe above and below the eye is white, as is the throat patch. In females, this stripe and throat patch are light brown or tan. Typical weights for Bobwhites in South Carolina range from 160 to 180 g (5.6 to 6.3 oz.). Overall length throughout the range of the species is between 240 and 275 mm (9.5 and 10.8 in.) (Rosene 1984). Status Bobwhite quail are still widely distributed throughout their historic range. However, North American Breeding Bird Survey data indicate a significant range-wide decline of 3.8% annually between the years 1966 and 2009 (Sauer et al. 2004). In South Carolina, quail populations have declined at a rate of 6.1% annually since 1966 (Sauer et al. 2011). While not on the Partners in Flight Watch List, the concern for Northern Bobwhite is specifically mentioned Figure 1: Average summer distribution of northern bobwhite quail due to significant population declines 1994-2003.
  • Grant Report California Quail

    Grant Report California Quail

    Grant Report California Quail Translocation from Idaho to Texas California Quail: Translocation from Idaho to Texas Final Report September 2020 Prepared by: Kelly S. Reyna, Jeffrey G. Whitt, Sarah A. Currier, Shelby M. Perry, Garrett T. Rushing, Jordan T. Conley, Curt A. Vandenberg, and Erin L. Moser. The Quail Research Laboratory, College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Texas A&M University Commerce 1 TABLE OF CONTENTS TABLE OF FIGURES AND TABLES ................................................................................ 3 BRIEF: ................................................................................................................... 5 INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................... 7 RESEARCH GOALS .................................................................................................... 8 PREDATOR IMPACTS ON TRANSLOCATED QUAIL ........................................................... 8 PREDATOR AVOIDANCE BEHAVIOR OF TRANSLOCATED QUAIL ...................................... 8 IMPACTS OF TEXAS HEAT ON VALLEY QUAIL DEVELOPMENT ........................................... 9 DEVELOPMENTAL TRAJECTORY OF CALIFORNIA VALLEY QUAIL .................................... 10 TRANSLOCATION WEIGHT LOSS ................................................................................ 10 PROJECT DESIGN............................................................................................... 11 MATERIAL AND METHODS ................................................................................
  • Morphological Features of the Tongue in the Quail (Coturnix Coturnix Japonica)

    Morphological Features of the Tongue in the Quail (Coturnix Coturnix Japonica)

    Original article http://dx.doi.org/10.4322/jms.061113 Morphological features of the tongue in the quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica) POURLIS, A. F.* DVM, PhD, Laboratory of Anatomy, Histology & Embryology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Thessaly, Karditsa, GR 43100, Greece *E-mail: [email protected] Abstract Introduction: The aim of the study was to examine the morphology of the tongue in the quail. Materials and Methods: For this purpose, the tongues of six adult quails (three males, three females) were studied. Specimen’s observation was performed with a scanning electron microscope. Results: The tongue was triangular in shape with a shallow median groove along the body. The length of the tongue was 1.2 cm. The length of the body was 1cm whereas of the root 2 mm. The anterior dorsal surface showed a relatively smooth surface lined by keratinized stratified squamous epithelium. Openings of lingual glands, partly filled with mucus were identified. The caudal part of the body of the tongue exhibited two slightly raised symmetrical areas. A transverse groove separated the root from the body of the tongue. Along the posterior border of the root, a crest of conical papillae was observed. Behind the glottis, big conical papillae were also recorded. Conclusion: These morphological findings could be useful for further studies of avian feeding mechanisms and comparisons with other avian species. Keywords: avian, scanning electron microscopy, tongue. 1 Introduction The avian tongue has been the subject of research by have not been explored. In addition, the Japanese quail is many authors. The great bulk of studies have been focused considered to be a separate species from the common quail on the external morphology and on the dorsal lingual (AINSWORTH, STANLEY and EVANS, 2010).
  • Alpha Codes for 2168 Bird Species (And 113 Non-Species Taxa) in Accordance with the 62Nd AOU Supplement (2021), Sorted Taxonomically

    Alpha Codes for 2168 Bird Species (And 113 Non-Species Taxa) in Accordance with the 62Nd AOU Supplement (2021), Sorted Taxonomically

    Four-letter (English Name) and Six-letter (Scientific Name) Alpha Codes for 2168 Bird Species (and 113 Non-Species Taxa) in accordance with the 62nd AOU Supplement (2021), sorted taxonomically Prepared by Peter Pyle and David F. DeSante The Institute for Bird Populations www.birdpop.org ENGLISH NAME 4-LETTER CODE SCIENTIFIC NAME 6-LETTER CODE Highland Tinamou HITI Nothocercus bonapartei NOTBON Great Tinamou GRTI Tinamus major TINMAJ Little Tinamou LITI Crypturellus soui CRYSOU Thicket Tinamou THTI Crypturellus cinnamomeus CRYCIN Slaty-breasted Tinamou SBTI Crypturellus boucardi CRYBOU Choco Tinamou CHTI Crypturellus kerriae CRYKER White-faced Whistling-Duck WFWD Dendrocygna viduata DENVID Black-bellied Whistling-Duck BBWD Dendrocygna autumnalis DENAUT West Indian Whistling-Duck WIWD Dendrocygna arborea DENARB Fulvous Whistling-Duck FUWD Dendrocygna bicolor DENBIC Emperor Goose EMGO Anser canagicus ANSCAN Snow Goose SNGO Anser caerulescens ANSCAE + Lesser Snow Goose White-morph LSGW Anser caerulescens caerulescens ANSCCA + Lesser Snow Goose Intermediate-morph LSGI Anser caerulescens caerulescens ANSCCA + Lesser Snow Goose Blue-morph LSGB Anser caerulescens caerulescens ANSCCA + Greater Snow Goose White-morph GSGW Anser caerulescens atlantica ANSCAT + Greater Snow Goose Intermediate-morph GSGI Anser caerulescens atlantica ANSCAT + Greater Snow Goose Blue-morph GSGB Anser caerulescens atlantica ANSCAT + Snow X Ross's Goose Hybrid SRGH Anser caerulescens x rossii ANSCAR + Snow/Ross's Goose SRGO Anser caerulescens/rossii ANSCRO Ross's Goose
  • Joint Quail Conference Partners

    Joint Quail Conference Partners

    Joint Quail Conference Partners: Joint Quail 23rd Annual National Bobwhite Technical Committee Meeting Conference Eighth National Quail Symposium July 25-28, 2017 | Knoxville, TN SCHEDULE OVERVIEW The Joint Quail Conference Is Proudly Hosted By: Monday, July 24 7:00 PM NBTC State Quail Coordinators Meeting Tuesday, July 25 8:00 AM NBTC Steering Committee Meeting 12:00 PM NBTC Steering Committee Lunch (Steering Committee members only) 1:00 PM NBTC General Meeting 2:00 PM NBTC Subcommittee Meetings, concurrent 6:30 PM NBTC Reception Welcome to the Joint Quail Conference of the 23rd Annual Meeting of the National Wednesday, July 26 Bobwhite Technical Committee (NBTC) and the Eighth National Quail Symposium. 8:00 AM NBTC Subcommittee Meetings, concurrent The week begins with the 23rd Annual Meeting of NBTC July 25-26 and continues as Quail 8 July 26-28. 12:30 PM NBTC Awards Luncheon (provided) 2:30 PM NBTC Subcommittee Reports and Business Meeting 6:30 PM NBTC/Quail 8 Reception and Poster Session National Bobwhite Technical Committee NBTC is comprised of 100+ wildlife professionals from state and federal Thursday, July 27 agencies, universities, and private organizations. The primary mission of 8:00 AM Quail 8 Welcome the NBTC is to provide leadership and technical guidance for the National Bobwhite Conservation Initiative. The group was formed in 1995 for the 9:00 AM Quail 8 Plenary Session purpose of: 10:00 AM Break • Identifying factors responsible for population declines of bobwhites 10:30 AM Quail 8 Plenary Session and other associated early successional wildlife species. • Identifying gaps in knowledge about the bobwhite population 12:00 PM Lunch (provided) dynamics and ecology.
  • A Multigene Phylogeny of Galliformes Supports a Single Origin of Erectile Ability in Non-Feathered Facial Traits

    A Multigene Phylogeny of Galliformes Supports a Single Origin of Erectile Ability in Non-Feathered Facial Traits

    J. Avian Biol. 39: 438Á445, 2008 doi: 10.1111/j.2008.0908-8857.04270.x # 2008 The Authors. J. Compilation # 2008 J. Avian Biol. Received 14 May 2007, accepted 5 November 2007 A multigene phylogeny of Galliformes supports a single origin of erectile ability in non-feathered facial traits Rebecca T. Kimball and Edward L. Braun R. T. Kimball (correspondence) and E. L. Braun, Dept. of Zoology, Univ. of Florida, P.O. Box 118525, Gainesville, FL 32611 USA. E-mail: [email protected] Many species in the avian order Galliformes have bare (or ‘‘fleshy’’) regions on their head, ranging from simple featherless regions to specialized structures such as combs or wattles. Sexual selection for these traits has been demonstrated in several species within the largest galliform family, the Phasianidae, though it has also been suggested that such traits are important in heat loss. These fleshy traits exhibit substantial variation in shape, color, location and use in displays, raising the question of whether these traits are homologous. To examine the evolution of fleshy traits, we estimated the phylogeny of galliforms using sequences from four nuclear loci and two mitochondrial regions. The resulting phylogeny suggests multiple gains and/or losses of fleshy traits. However, it also indicated that the ability to erect rapidly the fleshy traits is restricted to a single, well-supported lineage that includes species such as the wild turkey Meleagris gallopavo and ring-necked pheasant Phasianus colchicus. The most parsimonious interpretation of this result is a single evolution of the physiological mechanisms that underlie trait erection despite the variation in color, location, and structure of fleshy traits that suggest other aspects of the traits may not be homologous.
  • New Distributional and Temporal Bird Records from Chihuahua, Mexico

    New Distributional and Temporal Bird Records from Chihuahua, Mexico

    Israel Moreno-Contreras et al. 272 Bull. B.O.C. 2016 136(4) New distributional and temporal bird records from Chihuahua, Mexico by Israel Moreno-Contreras, Fernando Mondaca, Jaime Robles-Morales, Manuel Jurado, Javier Cruz, Alonso Alvidrez & Jaime Robles-Carrillo Received 25 May 2016 Summary.—We present noteworthy records from Chihuahua, northern Mexico, including several first state occurrences (e.g. White Ibis Eudocimus albus, Red- shouldered Hawk Buteo lineatus) or species with very few previous state records (e.g. Tricoloured Heron Egretta tricolor, Baltimore Oriole Icterus galbula). We also report the first Chihuahuan records of Red-tailed Hawk Buteo jamaicensis harlani and ‘White-winged’ Dark-eyed Junco Junco hyemalis aikeni (the latter only the second Mexican record). Other records improve our knowledge of the distribution of winter visitors to the Chihuahuan Desert ecoregion that formerly were considered transients, including several parulids. Our field work has also improved knowledge of the distribution of certain Near Threatened (e.g. Snowy Plover Charadrius nivosus) and Vulnerable species (e.g. Pinyon Jay Gymnorhinus cyanocephalus). We also confirmed various breeding localities for Yellow-crowned Night Heron Nyctanassa violacea in Chihuahua. The avian diversity of Mexico encompasses 95 families, 493 genera and 1,150 species following IOC taxonomy (cf. Navarro-Sigüenza et al. 2014) or c.11% of total avian richness worldwide. Mexico is ranked as the 11th most important country in terms of bird species richness and fourth in the proportion of endemic species (Navarro-Sigüenza et al. 2014). However, Chihuahua—the largest Mexican state—is poorly surveyed ornithologically, mostly at sites in and around the Sierra Madre Occidental (e.g., Stager 1954, Miller et al.
  • Foam Produced by Male Coturnix Quail: What Is Its Function?

    Foam Produced by Male Coturnix Quail: What Is Its Function?

    The Auk 116(1):184-193, 1999 FOAM PRODUCED BY MALE COTURNIX QUAIL: WHAT IS ITS FUNCTION? ELIZABETH ADKINS-REGAN • Departmentof Psychologyand Section of Neurobiologyand Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, USA ABSTRACT.--Malesof the Old Worldquail genusCoturnix are unique among birds in pos- sessinga well-developedproctodeal gland. The gland and associatedcloacal musculature are sexuallydimorphic, androgen dependent, and producea foamy substancethat is intro- ducedinto the femalealong with semenduring copulation, suggesting that the foamplays somerole in increasingmale reproductive success. I experimentally tested three hypotheses aboutthe functionof this foam in JapaneseQuail (Coturnixjaponica): (1) foam functionsin spermcompetition, (2) foamreduces the female'sreceptivity to a secondmale, and (3) foam increasesthe probabilityof fertilizationwhen a hard-shelledegg is presentin the uterus (hypothesis3 was originallyproposed by Chenget al. 1989a).Insemination shortly before ovipositionfertilized fewer eggs than inseminations earlier in theday, but only if maleshad a reducedfoam complement,supporting the third hypothesis.The othertwo hypotheses were not supported.Copulation reduced female receptivity, but this effect was not due to the male'sfoam. Received 2 February 1998, accepted 22 June1998. IN MOSTAVIAN SPECIES,males either have no "whipped" into foam by the action of the phallus or have a rudimentarynon-intromit- sphinctercloacae (Ikeda and Tajii 1954,Fujii tent phallus (Briskieand Montgomerie1997). and Tamura 1967, Seiwert and Adkins-Regan Thus,mating is accomplishedwithout the elab- 1998).The foam gland complexis markedly orate genitalia characteristicof many mam- sexuallydimorphic (large in malesbut rudi- mals, reptiles,and insects.Recent interest has mentaryin females),is well developedin males developedregarding the possibilitythat birds onlyduring the breeding season, and is highly have evolvedspecial anatomical and physio- androgendependent (Nagra et al.
  • Quail (Coturnix Coturnix Japonica)

    Quail (Coturnix Coturnix Japonica)

    EGG PRODUCTION AND FERTILITY FOLLOWING VARIOUS METHODS OF INSEMINATION IN JAPANESE QUAIL (COTURNIX COTURNIX JAPONICA) B. C. WENTWORTH and W. J. MELLEN Department of Poultry Science, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts, U.S.A. (Received 23rd January 1963) Summary. A modification of the method of Burrows & Quinn (1939) was successfully used to collect semen from male Japanese quail, and females were artificially inseminated by intravaginal, intraperitoneal and intrauterine routes. Others were mated naturally. Semen from antibiotic-fed males, diluted with quail-egg albumin containing anti- biotics, and deposited in the uterus (shell gland) by means of a hypo- dermic needle passed through the egg contained therein, fertilized more than 75 % of the females for a mean duration of 4\m=.\6days. This procedure also resulted in excellent egg production and caused no mortality. In contrast, the other methods of artificial insemination resulted in much lower fertility and egg production and, in some cases, heavy mortality. INTRODUCTION The Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix japónica) is gaining widespread favour as a pilot animal among investigators in avian genetics, nutrition, and physiology. In our own case, this species seemed well suited, in many respects, to certain proposed studies involving effects of various treatments on fertility. In particu¬ lar, we wished to measure duration of fertility following a single insemination, which requires use of artificial insemination in order that one may standardize sperm dosage and know the time of insemination with certainty. However, perusal of the scant literature on artificial insemination in Coturnix was dis¬ couraging. Wilcox & Clark (1961) produced hybrids between domestic fowl cocks and female Japanese quail, but were unable to make the reciprocal cross because they could not obtain semen from the male quail.