Novitates PUBLISHED by the AMERICAN MUSEUM of NATURAL HISTORY CENTRAL PARK WEST at 79TH STREET NEW YORK, N.Y
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AMERICAN MUSEUM Novitates PUBLISHED BY THE AMERICAN MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY CENTRAL PARK WEST AT 79TH STREET NEW YORK, N.Y. 10024 U.S.A. NUMBER 2597 JUNE 8, 1976 LESTER L. SHORT Notes on a Collection of Birds From the Paraguayan Chaco :;It0~ ~ ~fft ~ 1~ 6 #aSs 02:n[ AMERICAN MUSEUM Novitates PUBLISHED BY THE AMERICAN MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY CENTRAL PARK WEST AT 79TH STREET, NEW YORK, N.Y. 10024 Number 2597, pp. 1-16 June 8, 1976 Notes on a Collection of Birds From the Paraguayan Chaco LESTER L. SHORT' ABSTRACT Systematic, distributional, molt, and breeding nor panamensis i neotropicalis, and certainly data are- provided for 723 specimens obtained represents a Middle American or Colombian pop- from the collection of Jacob Unger, mainly in ulation. The first western Paraguayan hybrid the vicinity of Lichtenau in the Paraguayan flickers (Colaptes campestris campestris X cam- chaco. The specimens represent 180 species, in- pestroides) are described. Data are presented on cluding four (Coccyzus erythrophthalmus, Lep- the features and polymorphism of the wood- tasthenura platensis, Pseudocolopteryx acutipen- pecker Dryocopus schulzi. Agriornis microptera nis, and Aimophila strigiceps) reported for the microptera winters northward from Patagonia to first time from Paraguay based on this collection. the Paraguayan chaco and Cochabamba, Bolivia. The status of the tinamou Nothura "chacoensis" Anthus chacoensis is noted as a valid species, is discussed, and warrants treatment as a subspe- with a breeding range indicated for the first time cies of N. maculosa. A problematical nighthawk (Cordoba, Argentina). The status of many sub- specimen is assigned tentatively to Chordeiles mi- species is discussed. INTRODUCTION Several recent shipments of birds from the South America. Its features and birds were re- collection of Jacob Unger have come to the ported by Short (1975). Other relatively recent American Museum of Natural History and are the important works involving Paraguayan chaco subject of the present report. A total of 723 birds are those of Steinbacher (1962, 1968). The specimens were taken at diverse seasons during Lichtenau area is in the central chaco of Para- 1960 to 1974 in the Paraguayan chaco, mainly in guay, well west of the pantanal (wet palm sa- the vicinity of Lichtenau (approximately lat. vanna) that borders the Paraguay River, and just 22049' S, long. 59039' W) at about 180 km. east of the driest portion of the Paraguayan west of the Paraguay River, almost due west of chaco (which is less xeric than is the very dry Puerto Pinasco. central Argentine chaco). Maps indicating the lo- The chaco, a low, flat, xeric woodland area, is cation of Lichtenau were provided by Stein- situated inland from the sea in south-central bacher(1962,p. 12) and by Short(1972a, p. 32). 'Curator, Department of Ornithology, the American Museum of Natural History; Adjunct Professor, City Univer- sity of New York. Copyright O The American Museum of Natural History 1976 ISSN 0003-0082 / Price $1.15 2 AMERICAN MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY NO. 2597 Measurements of wing length that are men- and more grayish, less rusty breast. Nothura bo- tioned are those of the chord of the wing. raquira differs from N. cinerascens in its smaller All birds in the collection obtained from Mr. size (no overlap) and buffier, less gray coloration. Unger are treated herein (a few also have been The October and March males are in breeding reported elsewhere, as cited below). The follow- condition, implying a long breeding season. The ing systematic list is in the order of that in Short immature male differs from adults in its browner (1975). Authorities for the scientific names em- back color, less barred flanks, and especially, its ployed here can be found in Meyer de Schauen- black-spotted neck and breast. I have compared see (1966), and in the various volumes of the it with two similarly spot-breasted, undoubted Catalogue of Birds of the Americas by Hellmayr, immatures of N. b. boraquira. As pointed out in by Hellmayr and Conover, or by Cory. Only new Short (1975), the rather weak differentiation of data are presented, hence some species merely chaco marmorata implies a recent contact with are listed for the sake of completeness. caatinga boraquira. I am grateful to Drs. Dean Amadon, Eugene Nothura maculosa chacoensis. Spotted Nothu- Eisenmann, John Farrand, Wesley E. Lanyon, ra. Males, October 16, and November 12; fe- and the late Charles Vaurie for assistance in iden- males, May 11, August 11, September 28, Octo- tifying specimens of species of groups in which ber 15, and November 12. This chaco form has they specialize, or for other assistance in the been treated as a species, but indications are that course of this investigation. it interbreeds with adjacent pantanal N. m. palu- divaga in the narrow zone west of the Paraguay SYSTEMATIC LIST River where the palm savanna or pantanal meets the dry chaco woodland. The seven specimens FAMILY TINAMIDAE show considerable variation in the tone of the Crypturellus tataupa tataupa. Tataupa Tina- underparts, the amount of barring on the flanks, mou. Females, May 28, October 30. The latter and especially the spotted and streaked upper bird was noted as breeding. breast, and the barring of the upperparts. Gen- Nothura (Nothoprocta) cinerascens ciner- erally, chacoensis is vermiculated, with deep bars ascens. Brushland Tinamou. One male, July 1, sparse dorsally, but two of the seven specimens three males, November 10 to 28; females, No- are moderately barred and one female is barred vember 10 and 22. November birds with gonads as heavily as in other races of maculosa. One fe- in breeding condition. male (May 11, fresh plumage, and in fact molt- Nothura boraquira marmorata. White-breasted ing), sparsely barred dorsally, has strong tan ven- Tinamou. Males, March 27, April 30, October 17; tral coloring, and its upper breast is entirely female, July 8; immature male, May 28. This spe- streaked, the usual dark spots being assimilated cies, and especially the chaco form, closely re- into streaks such that there is no apparent spot- sembles N. cinerascens and almost can be con- ting. These specimens are easily separable from sidered a sibling species with the latter. Olrog paludivaga by their upperpart color and pattern, (1963, p. 425) noted that the behavior of bora- with a rufescent tone (little or no gray cast), and quira is more like that of cinerascens than that of much lighter color than in the heavily barred, Nothura darwinii and N. maculosa. It resembles blacker paludivaga. Ventrally, they tend to be cinerascens in its general pattern and shape of paler, and the spot-streaks of the upper breast are bill, color tone, pattern of wing markings (no smaller and finer. Although chacoensis is smaller barring on inner vanes), barring of the sides and in size than paludivaga and other races of macu- flanks, and pale (whitish) underparts. Indeed, the losa, except cearensis, the difference among weakly defined chaco race marmorata tends forms of N. maculosa is not great. There is over- away from caatinga (zone of and scrub woods of lap, especially between adjacent races paludivaga northeastern Brazil) N. b. boraquira and toward and chacoensis (12 specimens of the former, 22 N. cinerascens in its subspecific characters, of the latter available for comparison), and only namely, less rusty, browner nape; darker brown very small chacoensis can be separated men- and grayer, less rusty back; blacker wing coverts; surally. The difference between chacoensis and 1976 SHORT: PARAGUAYAN CHACO BIRDS 3 paludivaga in length of middle toe given earlier and the background is decidedly grayer and less (Short, 1975, p. 190) does not hold, for I now buff. The dorsal pattern of formosa is brown have measurements of chacoensis falling within with fine vermiculations, some bars, and large the range of measurements of paludivaga, even to buff spots; elegans is grayer with smaller, more their upper extreme (30.5) mm.). Using wing numerous spots. The tail of elegans is barred length, bill length, tarsal length, and length of buffy white and brownish black, and that offor- middle toe, it can be seen that about one-quarter mosa has vermiculations (much finer barring) and of chacoensis specimens are separable from palu- dark marks about the shaft, but the pattern is divaga on the basis of lesser measurements. The very much browner and less contrasting. Finally, sparse material I have seen of little known N. m. the outer primaries of formosa are unbarred on pallida (northwestern Argentina north to Formo- the inner vane, or bear vague traces of barring sa and extreme southwestern Paraguay) indicates basally, whereas elegans has strongly barred pri- that pallida is small, closely approaching chaco- maries (both vanes). Eudromia formosa may be a ensis in size. Conover (1950) mentioned speci- trifle smaller than E. elegans magnistriata, but mens possibly intermediate between chacoensis more specimens must be measured to acquire and paludivaga from northern Paraguay. A fe- data to substantiate or nullify this point. male specimen (AMNH 802523) from 60 km. east of Orloff, in the eastem Paraguayan chaco, FAMILY PODICIPEDIDAE taken in November, 1956, shows a gray-brown mixture dorsally with heavy dorsal barring, Podiceps dominicus speciosus. Least Grebe. rather buffy underparts, strong breast streaking, Males, February 12, November 19; female, No- and is within the size overlap between paludivaga vember 19; downy young male and female, Feb- and chacoensis; it appears to be an intermediate ruary 12. The three adults show enlarged gonads. (intergrade) specimen. The birds taken from Sep- The adults measure 90 to 98 mm. in wing length, tember to November were noted as having en- agreeing with the 92 to 98 mm. reported for six larged gonads. birds from Orloff in the Paraguayan chaco by Eudromia formosa mira.