Pale-winged trumpeter

Pale-winged trumpeter
near Puerto Maldonado, Peru
Conservation status
Near Threatened (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Gruiformes
Family:	Psophiidae
Genus:	Psophia
Species:	P. leucoptera
Binomial name
Psophia leucoptera Spix, 1825

The pale-winged trumpeter (Psophia leucoptera), also known as the white-winged trumpeter, is a species of bird in the family Psophiidae. It is found in the southwestern Amazon rainforest of Brazil, northern Bolivia, and eastern Peru.

It has two subspecies: The widespread nominate has a white rump and is found south of the Amazon River and west of the Madeira River, while ochroptera has a yellowish rump and is found between the Amazon River and the lower Rio Negro. Genetic evidence suggests the closest relative of ochroptera is the grey-winged trumpeter, leading some to treat it as a separate species, the ochre-winged trumpeter (P. ochroptera).^[2]

Psophia leucoptera are primarily frugivorous. Foraging on the forest floor for fallen ripe fruit pulp which makes up 90% of their diet.^[3] While being primarily frugivores, the remainder of the pale-winged trumpeter's diet is made up of invertebrates like beetles and ants and occasionally scavenging for dead vertebrates like snakes. ^[3]

The reproductive behavior of the nominate subspecies of the pale-winged trumpeter is the best known of all the trumpeters'. Groups of adults defend a territory together. Groups have a dominant pair who are the only pair to raise a clutch during the breeding season. While subordinate males do mate with the dominant female, this occurs when the dominant female is not fertile. When the dominant female is fertile, the dominant male will aggressively prevent other males from mating with her.^[3] Breeding season begins at the end of the dry season and continues throughout the rainy season, in Peru, this is from November to April.^[3] As cavity nesters, the dominant female will lay her clutch in a shallow tree cavity, that is an average of 11 meters off the ground and free of vines or other vegetation to avoid the risk of nest predation.^[3] The incubation period is an average 27 days with the dominant male and female taking turns to incubate, subordinate males have also been observed taking incubation shifts.^[3] The young hatch covered with thick, dark, cryptically patterned down. The day after hatching, chicks jump down to the ground and follow the adults.^[3]

Pale-winged trumpeters have cleaning symbiosis, a form of mutualism, with ungulate species like the gray brocket deer as they are ectoparasite removers.^[4] Trumpeter groups will occasionally follow ungulates around pecking at it to remove ticks and also have been observed snatching other pests like flies that are swarming the ungulate.^[4] This cleaning symbiosis provides nutritional benefit for pale-winged trumpeters as well as reduces the risk of ectoparasite disease vectors for the ungulate.^[4]

Their call is a loud staccato trumpeting.

References[]

• Holyoak, David; Colston, P. R. (2003). "Trumpeters". In Perrins, Christopher (ed.). The Firefly Encyclopedia of Birds. Firefly Books. pp. 213. ISBN 1-55297-777-3.

External links[]

• Pale-winged trumpeter videos on the Internet Bird Collection
• Stamp (for Cuba) "BirdTheme"–www.birdtheme.org
• Photo; Article "Manu Biosphere Reserve," Peru

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