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Nocturnal curassow
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Galliformes
Family:	Cracidae
Genus:	Nothocrax Burmeister, 1856
Species:	N. urumutum
Binomial name
Nothocrax urumutum (Spix, 1825)

The nocturnal curassow (Nothocrax urumutum) is a species of bird in the family Cracidae, the chachalacas, guans, and curassows. It is found in Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela.

Taxonomy and systematics

The nocturnal curassow was originally placed in genus Crax but genetic data confirm that Nothocrax is a valid genus. It is the only member of its genus and has no subspecies.

Description

The nocturnal curassow is the smallest curassow at 50 to 57.5 cm (1.6 to 1.9 ft) long. One bird weighed 1,250 g (2.8 lb). It is also unique with its mostly rufous and chestnut plumage, as other curassows are mostly black. Its crest is flat and blackish, its ventral area buffy, and the tips of its tail feathers are paler than the rest. Its brownish-orange eye is surrounded by bare skin, greenish-yellow above and black below. The bill is reddish-orange and the legs gray.

Distribution and habitat

The nocturnal curassow is found in middle and upper Amazonia, from far southern Venezuela, southeastern Colombia, eastern Ecuador, and northeastern Peru into western and central Brazil. It inhabits terra firme forest and flooded forests (both permanent and seasonal). It favors low lying, gentle, terrain, often near blackwater rivers. It is typically found below 850 m (2,800 ft) but has been recorded as high as about 1,500 m (4,900 ft) in Ecuador.

Behavior

Belying its name, the nocturnal curassow is active in daylight as well as night and twilight, though it sings only at night.

Feeding

The nocturnal curassow forages singly or in groups of up to four birds, at dawn, dusk, and the few hours after or before them. It feeds on the ground, apparently entirely on vegetable matter though its diet has not been extensively studied.

Breeding

The nocturnal curassow's breeding season has not been determined, but breeding activity has been noted between October and February. It makes a large loosely woven nest from sticks and palm leaves lined with twigs and dried leaves. Nests have been found high in trees and vines and also on stumps and logs near the ground. The clutch size is two eggs.

Vocalization

The nocturnal curassow sings only at night, primarily on clear dark nights in dry weather. Its song is "a series of seven, low-pitched, highly resonant notes...rendered 'hmm-hmm-hmmmm, hmm hmm-hmmm, hmmph!'." Sometimes several birds will counter-sing.

Status

The IUCN has assessed the nocturnal curassow as being of Least Concern. Much of its range in western Amazonia remains intact and its mostly nocturnal habits apparently lead to less hunting pressure than other Cracids experience.

References

1. ^ BirdLife International (2016). "Nocturnal Curassow Nothocrax urumutum". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016. Retrieved 2 October 2021.
2. ^ Gill, F.; Donsker, D.; Rasmussen, P. (July 2021). "IOC World Bird List (v 11.2)". Retrieved July 14, 2021.
3. Remsen, J. V., Jr., J. I. Areta, E. Bonaccorso, S. Claramunt, A. Jaramillo, D. F. Lane, J. F. Pacheco, M. B. Robbins, F. G. Stiles, and K. J. Zimmer. Version 24 August 2021. Species Lists of Birds for South American Countries and Territories. https://www.museum.lsu.edu/~Remsen/SACCCountryLists.htm retrieved August 24, 2021
4. Remsen, J. V., Jr., J. I. Areta, E. Bonaccorso, S. Claramunt, A. Jaramillo, D. F. Lane, J. F. Pacheco, M. B. Robbins, F. G. Stiles, and K. J. Zimmer. Version 24 August 2021. A classification of the bird species of South America. American Ornithological Society. https://www.museum.lsu.edu/~Remsen/SACCBaseline.htm retrieved 24 August 2021
5. ^ del Hoyo, J. and G. M. Kirwan (2020). Nocturnal Curassow (Nothocrax urumutum), version 1.0. In Birds of the World (J. del Hoyo, A. Elliott, J. Sargatal, D. A. Christie, and E. de Juana, Editors). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.noccur1.01 retrieved October 2, 2021

v t e Genera of landfowl and their extinct allies
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Aves Superorder: Galloanserae Clade: Pangalliformes
Pangalliformes incertae sedis †Anisolornis? †Archaeophasianus? †Argillipes? †Austinornis? †Chambiortyx †Coturnipes? †"Gigantibis"? †Litoripes? †Percolinus? †Tegulavis? †Gallinuloididae Gallinuloides Paraortygoides †Paraortygidae Paraortyx Pirortyx Scopelortyx Xorazmortyx †Quercymegapodiidae Ameripodius Quercymegapodius Taubacrex †Sylviornithidae Megavitiornis Sylviornis Galliformes See below ↓
Galliformes Galliformes †Amitabha †Bumbanipodius †Bumbanortyx †Linquornis †Namaortyx †Palaeoalectoris †Procrax †Sobniogallus †Taoperdix Megapodiidae †Garrdimalga? †Mwalau †Ngawupodius Alecturini Aepypodius Alectura †Latagallina Leipoa †Progura Talegalla Megapodiini Eulipoa Macrocephalon Megapodius Cracidae †Archaealectrornis †Boreortalis †Palaeonossax †Procrax Penelopinae Aburria Chamaepetes Penelope Penelopina Pipile Cracinae Oreophasis Ortalis Cracini Crax Mitu Nothocrax Pauxi Phasianoidea See below ↓
Phasianoidea Numididae Acryllium Agelastes Guttera Numida †Telecrex Odontophoridae †Miortyx †Nanortyx †Neortyx Ptilopachinae Ptilopachus Odontophorinae Callipepla Colinus Cyrtonyx Dactylortyx Dendrortyx Odontophorus Oreortyx Philortyx Rhynchortyx Phasianidae See below ↓
Phasianidae Phasianidae †Bantamyx †Centuriavis †Diangallus †Eurobambusicola †Lophogallus †Megalocoturnix †Miogallus †Mioryaba †Palaeocryptonyx †Palaeortyx †Panraogallus †Pliogallus †Plioperdix †Rustaviornis †Schaubortyx †Shandongornis †Shanxiornis †Titanoperdix †Tologuica Rollulinae Arborophila Caloperdix Melanoperdix Rhizothera Rollulus Xenoperdix Pavoninae Tropicoperdix Coturnicini Alectoris Ammoperdix Coturnix Margaroperdix †?Ophrysia Perdicula Pternistis Synoicus Tetraogallus Gallini Bambusicola Campocolinus Francolinus Gallus Ortygornis Peliperdix Scleroptila Pavonini Afropavo Argusianus Pavo Rheinardia Polyplectronini Galloperdix Haematortyx Polyplectron Phasianinae †Chauvireria Ithaginis Lerwa Lophophorini Lophophorus Tetraophasis Tragopan Phasianini Catreus Chrysolophus Crossoptilon Lophura Perdix Phasianus Syrmaticus Tetraonini Bonasa Canachites Centrocercus Dendragapus Falcipennis Lagopus Lyrurus Meleagris †Palaealectoris †Proagriocharis Pucrasia †Rhegminornis Tetrao Tetrastes Tympanuchus

• IUCN Red List least concern species
• Cracidae
• Birds of the Amazon rainforest
• Birds of the Colombian Amazon
• Birds of the Venezuelan Amazon
• Birds of the Ecuadorian Amazon
• Birds of Peruvian Amazonia
• Birds described in 1825