11/5/2008 Upland Gamebirds Upland Gamebirds Order Galliformes Order Galliformes Family Cracidea - Central & S. America Plain chachalaca Upland Gamebirds Upland Gamebirds Order Galliformes Family Numididae – guineafowl Family Cracidea – Central & S. America Plain chachalaca Family Meleagrididae – turkeys Family Phasianidea – partridges, Old World Family Tetraonidae – grouse & ptarmigan quail, peafowl, chukars, pheasants Family Odontophoridae – New World quails Family Phasianidae Order Columbiformes Family Columbidae – pigeons and doves pheasants & partridge Note that these are all introduced species in North America; there are no native phasianids in New World 1 11/5/2008 Family Meleagrididae Family Tetraonidae Wild Turkey - Meleagris gallopavo grouse & ptarmigan – 19 species worldwide only in New World 5 species in Idaho 1 species in NA, but 6 subspecies, The 3 North American taxa have Family Odontophoridea different group characteristics Grouse Turkey Quail New World quails – 32 species in western Cooler, mtns, warmer warm, southern hemisphere northern lower elev. 6 species in North America, 1 in Idaho The 3 North American taxa have different group characteristics Grouse Turkey Quail Cooler, mtns, warmer warm, southern northern lower elev. Large bodies largest small Eat leaves & variety of seedeaters, some buds plants leafy parts 2 11/5/2008 Group characteristics (cont.) Group characteristics (cont.) Grouse Turkey Quail Grouse Turkey Quail Feathered upper neck bare legs & Feathered upper neck bare legs & legs & nostrils & head bare nostrils legs & nostrils & head bare nostrils Live 4-6 yrs live 4-8 yrs live 1-3 yrs Group characteristics (cont.) Group characteristics (cont.) Grouse Turkey Quail Grouse Turkey Quail Feathered upper neck bare legs & Renest at a renest at low renest legs & nostrils & head bare nostrils low rate rate readily Live 4-6 yrs live 4-8 yrs live 1-3 yrs (depends on species) Polygamous, polygamous, monogamous, except ptarmigan but different but variable 3 11/5/2008 Group characteristics (cont.) Group characteristics (cont.) Grouse Turkey Quail Grouse Turkey Quail Renest at a renest at low renest Renest at a renest at low renest low rate rate readily low rate rate readily Much of the renesting rate depends on yearly Pheasianids renest at a higher rate, especially conditions and on hen condition pheasants – very important in reproductive productivity of populations Quail & grouse also separate on general habitat features Vegetation Quail Grouse Blue grouse split recently into 2 species: Tundra & alpine ptarmigan Forest dusky, sooty, Dusky Grouse - ID, UT, CO, etc (same sci. name of ruffed, spruce Dendragapus obscurus) Forest, brush edges bobwhite greater prairie- Sooty Grouse - Pacific coastal area – WA, OR, etc – mountain quail, chicken Dendragapus fuliginosus California quail Quail & grouse also separate on general habitat features Vegetation Quail Grouse Tundra & alpine ptarmigan Forest dusky, sooty, ruffed, spruce Forest, brush edges bobwhite greater prairie- mountain quail, chicken California quail 4 11/5/2008 general habitat features Vegetation Quail Grouse Sagebrush 2 sage-grouse general habitat features general habitat features Vegetation Quail Grouse Vegetation Quail Grouse Sagebrush 2 sage-grouse Sagebrush 2 sage-grouse Grass-brush edge sharp-tailed g Grass-brush edge sharp-tailed g lesser prairie- lesser prairie- chicken chicken Desert scrub Gambel’s & scaled quail general habitat features general habitat features Vegetation Quail Grouse Vegetation Quail Grouse Pine-oak Montezuma q. Pine-oak Montezuma q. (AZ,NM) (AZ,NM) Rocky grass-shrub – chukar Agriculture – pheasant, gray partridge 5 11/5/2008 general habitat features Where do turkeys fit in this listing of vegetation types? general habitat features Evolutionary center: Grouse & Quail Where do turkeys fit in this listing of Grouse – boreal regions of North America vegetation types? Coniferous and deciduous forests, grasslands, grassland-forest edges, desert scrub, pine- oak forests, tropical deciduous forests Evolutionary center: Grouse & Quail Evolutionary center: Grouse & Quail Grouse – boreal regions of North America Grouse – boreal regions of North America fossils from 38 million years bp fossils from 38 million years bp morphology for northern regions short legs & wings large, rounded bodies 6 11/5/2008 Evolutionary center: Grouse & Quail Evolutionary center: Grouse & Quail Grouse – boreal regions of North America Grouse – boreal regions of North America fossils from 38 million years bp fossils from 38 million years bp morphology for northern regions morphology for northern regions short legs & wings short legs & wings large, rounded bodies large, rounded bodies pectinations pectinations feathered legs (toes in ptarmigan) feathered legs (toes in ptarmigan) behavior – snow roost Evolutionary center: Quail Evolutionary center: Quail Quail – tropical America Quail – tropical America Fossils, plus more species in S. & central America, & most primitive genera in region Evolutionary center: Quail Evolutionary center: Quail Fossils, plus more species in S. & central Ancestral species are arboreal, there is successive America, & most primitive genera in region tail-shortening in species as birds moved from trees to ground into more open habitats and to the north Ancestral species are arboreal, there is successive tail-shortening in species as birds Limited by cold weather to north. No adaptations moved from trees to ground into more open for snow – don’t snow roost, don’t scratch through habitats and to the north snow, no pectinations, bare legs and feet, small size 7 11/5/2008 The End Quail are cute! Grouse are great! Columbids are cool! Pheasants are fine! Turkeys are tasty! 8.