Sunbittern

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Sunbittern
on
Cristalino River

Southern Amazon, Brazil

Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Eurypygiformes
Family: Eurypygidae
Selby, 1840
Genus: Eurypyga
Illiger, 1811
Species:
E. helias
Binomial name
Eurypyga helias
(Pallas, 1781)
Sunbittern range
Synonyms[2]
  • Ardea helias Pallas, 1781
  • Eurypyx helias

The sunbittern (Eurypyga helias) is a bittern-like bird of tropical regions of the Americas, and the sole member of the family Eurypygidae (sometimes spelled Eurypigidae) and genus Eurypyga. It is found in Central and South America, and has three subspecies. The sunbittern shows both morphological and molecular similarities with the kagu (Rhynochetos jubatus) of New Caledonia, indicating a gondwanic origin, both species being placed in the clade Eurypygiformes.[3]

Taxonomy

The sunbittern is usually placed in the

powder down
.

Subspecies

The sunbittern was formerly treated as two species (E. helias and E. major), but now they are treated as a single species with considerable variation between the

allopatric.[3]

Description

Head

The bird has a generally subdued coloration, with fine linear patterns of black, grey and brown. Its

powder down
.

The sunbittern has a long and pointed bill that is black above, and a short

hallux as in shorebirds and rails. In the South American subspecies found in lowlands east of the Andes, the upperparts are mainly brown, and the legs and lower mandible are orange-yellow. The two other subspecies are greyer above, and their legs and bill are sometimes redder.[3]

Distribution and habitat

The sunbittern's

Chocó to western Ecuador.[3] This subspecies may also be present in southern Mexico. It has been traditionally reported from the Atlantic slope of Chiapas, but no specimens are known and there have been no recent records.[9]

The species is found in the humid

Neotropical forests, generally with an open understorey and near rivers, streams, ponds or lagoons.[3]

Behaviour and ecology

The sunbittern will open its wings to display two large eye spots when threatened
A sunbittern on display in the Natural History Museum, London.

They are cryptic birds that display their large wings, that exhibits a pattern that resemble eyes, when they feel threatened.

Feeding

The sunbittern consumes a wide range of animal prey. Insects form an important part of the diet, with cockroaches, dragonfly larvae, flies, katydids, water beetles and moths being taken. Other invertebrate prey includes crabs, spiders, shrimps and earthworms. They will also take vertebrate prey including fish, tadpoles, toads and frogs, eels and lizards.[3]

Sunbitterns are one of 12 species of birds in five families that have been described as fishing using baits or lures to attract prey to within striking distance. This type of behaviour falls within the common definition of

tool use. In sunbitterns this behaviour has only been observed in captive birds so far.[10]

Breeding

Sunbitterns start nesting in the early wet season and before it starts they make flight displays 10–15 m (33–49 ft) high in the forest canopy. They build open nests in trees, and lay two eggs with blotched markings. The young are

precocial, but remain in the nest for several weeks after hatching.[3][11]

Breeding

References

  1. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-3.RLTS.T22691893A163625651.en
    . Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  2. ^ "Eurypyga helias (Pallas, 1781)". GBIF—the Global Biodiversity Information Facility. Retrieved 17 December 2017.
  3. ^
    ISBN 84-87334-20-2
  4. ^ Houde et al. (1997) Phylogeny and evolution of 12S rDNA in Gruiformes (Aves). In: Mindell, D. P. (ed.), Avian Molecular Evolution and Systematics. Academic Press, San Diego. Pp. 121–158.
  5. PMID 26624624
    .
  6. ^ Fain & Houde (2004) Parallel radiations in the primary clades of birds Archived 7 April 2013 at the Wayback Machine. Evolution 58(11): 2558–2573.
  7. ^ Ericson et al. (2006) Diversification of Neoaves: Integration of molecular sequence data and fossils. Biology Letters 2 (4): pp. 543–547
  8. ^ Morgan-Richards et al. (2008) Bird evolution: testing the Metaves clade with six new mitochondrial genomes. BMC Evolutionary Biology 8 (20).
  9. ISBN 0-19-854012-4
  10. doi:10.1111/j.1439-0310.2010.01848.x
    .
  11. ISBN 978-1-85391-186-6
    .

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Eurypiga helias.
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