Psophia
Psophia is a genus of birds restricted to the humid forests of the Amazon and Guiana Shield in South America. It is the only genus in the family Psophiidae. Birds in the genus are commonly known as trumpeters, due to the trumpeting or cackling threat call of the males.<ref name = H&C>Template:Cite book</ref> The three species resemble slightly taller, longer-legged chickens in size and appearance; they measure Template:Convert long and weigh Template:Convert.<ref name = H&C/> They are rotund birds with long, flexible necks and legs, downward-curving bills<ref name=EoB>Template:Cite book</ref> and a “hunched” appearance.<ref name=H&B>Template:Cite book</ref> Their heads are small, but their eyes are relatively large, making them look inquisitive and "good-natured". The plumage is soft, resembling fur or velvet on the head and neck. It is mostly black, with purple, green, or bronze iridescence, particularly on the wing coverts and the lower neck. In the best-known taxa, the secondary and tertial flight feathers are white, grey, or greenish-black and hairlike, falling over the lower back, which is the same colour. These colours give the three generally accepted species their names.<ref name = H&C/>
Taxonomy and systematics
The genus Psophia was introduced in 1758 by the Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus, in the tenth edition of his Systema Naturae, as containing a single species, the grey-winged trumpeter (Psophia crepitans).<ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref> The genus name is from the Ancient Greek psophos meaning "noise".<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
The genus' taxonomy is far from settled; anywhere from three to six species (with varying numbers of subspecies) are recognized by different taxonomic systems.
The International Ornithological Committee's treatment is the most conservative. They recognize three species, two of which have three subspecies:<ref name=IOC12.2>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Grey-winged trumpeter, Psophia crepitans
- P. c. crepitans
- P. c. napensis
- P. c. ochroptera
- Pale-winged trumpeter, Psophia leucoptera
- Dark-winged trumpeter, Psophia viridis
- P. v. viridis
- P. v. dextralis
- P. v. obscura
The Clements taxonomy splits P. v. dextralis and adds English names to the subspecies:<ref name=Clements2022>Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, T. A. Fredericks, J. A. Gerbracht, D. Lepage, S. M. Billerman, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2022. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: v2022. Downloaded from https://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/ retrieved November 10, 2022</ref>
- Gray-winged trumpeter, Psophia crepitans
- P. c. crepitans (gray-winged)
- P. c. napensis (Napo)
- P. c. ochroptera (ochre-winged)
- Pale-winged trumpeter, Psophia leucoptera
- Dark-winged trumpeter, Psophia viridis
- P. v. viridis (green-backed)
- P. v. dextralis (dusky-backed)
- P. v. interjecta (Xingu)
- P. v. obscura (black-backed)
BirdLife International's Handbook of the Birds of the World (HBW) recognizes six species:<ref name=HBW2021>HBW and BirdLife International (2021) Handbook of the Birds of the World and BirdLife International digital checklist of the birds of the world. Version 6. Available at: http://datazone.birdlife.org/userfiles/file/Species/Taxonomy/HBW-BirdLife_Checklist_v6_Dec21.zip retrieved August 7, 2022</ref>
- Grey-winged trumpeter, Psophia crepitans
- P. c. crepitans
- P. c. napensis
- Ochre-winged trumpeter, Psophia ochroptera
- White-winged trumpeter, Psophia leucoptera
- Green-winged trumpeter, Psophia viridis
- Olive-winged trumpeter, Psophia dextralis
- P. d. dextralis
- P. d. interjecta
- Black-winged trumpeter, Psophia obscura
Traditionally, only three species of trumpeters have been recognised.<ref>Remsen, J. V. Jr., C. D. Cadena, A. Jaramillo, M. Nores, J. F. Pacheco, J. Pérez-Emán, M. B. Robbins, F. G. Stiles, D. F. Stotz, and K. J. Zimmer. 8 November 2011. A classification of the bird species of South America. Template:Webarchive South American Classification Committee</ref> A 2008 review, of the morphology of the dark-winged trumpeter, resulted in the recommendation that it be divided into three species.<ref name=Oppenheimer>Template:Cite journal</ref> A 2010 review of the phylogeny and biogeography of all members of the family resulted in a suggested total of eight species—two in the grey-winged trumpeter complex, two in the pale-winged trumpeter complex, and four in the dark-winged trumpeter complex.<ref name=Ribas>Template:Cite journal</ref>
Behaviour and ecology
Trumpeters fly weakly but run fast; they can easily outrun dogs.<ref name = H&C/> They are also capable of swimming across rivers.<ref name=H&B/> They spend most of the day in noisy flocks, sometimes numbering more than 100, on the forest floor.<ref name=H&C/> They feed on fallen fruit (particularly fruit knocked down by monkeys). They also eat a small amount of arthropods, including ants and flies,<ref name=H&C/> and even some reptiles and amphibians.<ref name=H&B/> At night they fly with difficulty into trees to roost Template:Convert above the ground.<ref name = H&C/>
Trumpeters nest in a hole in a tree or in the crown of a palm tree. They lay 2 to 5 eggs with rough, white shells, averaging about Template:Convert.<ref name = H&C/> In the pale-winged trumpeter and the grey-winged trumpeter, groups of adults care for a single clutch.<ref name = H&C/><ref name=Hilty>Template:Cite book</ref>
Relationship with humans
Trumpeters are often used as "guard dogs" because they call loudly when alarmed,<ref name = H&C/> become tame easily, and are believed to be adept at killing snakes. One source states their skill at hunting snakes as a fact,<ref name=H&B/> and the nineteenth-century botanist Richard Spruce gave an account of the friendliness and snake-killing prowess of a tame grey-winged trumpeter. For these reasons, Spruce recommended that England import trumpeters to India.<ref name=Spruce>Template:Cite book</ref> However, another source says this prowess is "reputed".<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
References
External links
- Trumpeter videos Template:Webarchive on the Internet Bird Collection