Data Zone
Justification of Red List category
The species occurs in scattered localities in a small area in the cerrado of central and south-east Brazil. Although it may now largely be restricted to protected areas, these are not considered safe owing to frequent damaging fires and the increasing threat of conversion for Eucalyptus plantations and soya crops. Therefore the species is listed as Endangered.
Population justification
The population is estimated to number 2,500-9,999 mature individuals based on an assessment of known records, descriptions of abundance and range size. This is consistent with recorded population density estimates for congeners or close relatives with a similar body size, and the fact that only a small proportion of the estimated Extent of Occurrence is likely to be occupied. This estimate is equivalent to 3,750-14,999 individuals, rounded here to 3,500-15,000 individuals.
Trend justification
A rapid and ongoing population decline is suspected as habitat is lost and degraded.
This species is currently restricted to the cerrado (tropical savanna) of central and south-east Brazil in Distrito Federal, Goiás, Minas Gerais, Mato Grosso do Sul, Tocantins, São Paulo and formerly Paraná (L. F. Silveira in litt. 2012). In 2008, it was found in relatively degraded but extensive cerrado south of Araguainha, Mato Grosso (Kirwan 2009). A specimen is known from Misiones, Paraguay, and two were taken in Argentina in the early 1900s (Collar & Andrew 1988, Collar et al. 1992), from near the río Bermejo in either Chaco or Formosa, but there have been no further records from both countries (R. Clay & A. Di Giacomo in litt. 2016). Recent records from Brazil are few and scattered, but up to four calling birds have been found in c.2 ha (Silveira & Silveira 1998) and, with knowledge of its voice, it may prove to be more widespread; however, it is now probably largely restricted to a few widely-spaced protected areas (L. F. Silveira in litt. 2012, A. Lees in litt. 2013), and isolated populations may now be vulnerable to local extinction – in São Paulo state the species may have been lost from Itapetininga (F. Olmos in litt. 2013).
It inhabits campo sujo (shrubby fields) and campo limpo (clean grass fields) with scattered shrubs (Silveira and Silveira 1998). The specimens from Paraguay and Argentina were collected in scrub grasslands (Collar and Andrew 1988, Collar et al. 1992). It has been reported taking invertebrate prey, including termites, and feeding on Graminae seeds. A pair in captivity laid three eggs (Silveira and Silveira 1998).
High-quality cerrado grasslands are being rapidly destroyed by mechanised agriculture, intensive cattle-ranching, afforestation, invasive grasses, excessive use of pesticides and annual burning (Stotz et al. 1996, Parker and Willis 1997, F. K. Ubaid in litt. 2018). By 1993, two-thirds of the cerrado had been heavily or moderately altered (Conservation International 1999), with most of the destruction having occurred since 1950 (Cavalcanti 1999). Since the species can only cover c.50 m in flight (Silveira and Silveira 1998), it is presumably susceptible to fast-moving fires, and is unlikely to disperse between isolated habitat fragments. Catastrophic fires are common in protected areas such as Serra da Canastra and Emas (F. Olmos in litt. 2013). Large areas of potentially suitable habitat remain in eastern Tocantins, however fires are a serious threat here, while Eucalyptus plantations are increasing and are expected to cover more than 1 million ha in the region, converted from agriculture and natural habitat. Expansion of soy and cane sugar crops are further potential threats (T. Dornas in litt. 2013), and even protected areas are likely to be coming under increasing threat from habitat conversion (T. Dornas, A. Lees, A. de Luca and F. Olmos in litt. 2013).
Conservation Actions Underway
It is known from a number of protected areas (L. F. Silveira in litt. 2012), including Serra da Canastra, Chapada dos Veadeiros and Emas National Parks, Itapetininga Experimental Station, and the IBGE Roncador Biological Reserve. Several areas adjacent to the río Bermejo, Argentina, have been surveyed with the aid of tape-playback, but the species has not been found (J. C. Chebez in litt. 1999, J. Mazar Barnett in litt. 1999).
13-16 cm. Plump, but minute, short-legged tinamou. Generally pale buffy-brown with some barring and streaking. Dark centre of crown. Breast and sides of belly pale buff with irregular dark barring. Pale throat, buffy centre of belly. Different plumage morphs may occur. Similar spp. Lesser Nothura Nothura minor is larger, longer-necked and more heavily barred. Voice High-pitched and nasal, cricket-like trill followed by peet notes.
Text account compilers
Symes, A., Clay, R.P., Hermes, C., Khwaja, N., Sharpe, C.J.
Contributors
Chebez, J.C., De Luca, A., Develey, P., Di Giacomo, A., Dornas, T., Lees, A., Mazar Barnett, J., Olmos, F., Pearman, M., Silveira, L.F. & Ubaid, F.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Species factsheet: Dwarf Tinamou Taoniscus nanus. Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/dwarf-tinamou-taoniscus-nanus on 23/11/2024.
Recommended citation for factsheets for more than one species: BirdLife International (2024) IUCN Red List for birds. Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/search on 23/11/2024.