Vertebrates from the Barrier Island of Tamaulipas, México — John Shaqi
Vertebrates from the Barrier Island of Tamaulipas, MéxicoJohnston, Richard F.
Science
Vertebrates from the Barrier Island of Tamaulipas, México
Johnston, Richard F.
Vertebrates -- Mexico
=_Dichromanassa rufescens rufescens_= (Gmelin): Reddish Egret.--This
egret was recorded only about the inlet at Camp 2, where 15 individuals
were feeding, either singly or in small groups, on July 8 and 9. We
noted frequent use of the "Open Wing" method of foraging, as described
by Meyerriecks (1960:108).
Specimen: [F] juv., 38899, ovary inactive, 587 gm., Camp 2, July 8.
This specimen is referable to the nominate subspecies, which is
resident along the Gulf coast. Our record seems to be the first for the
species in Tamaulipas.
=_Leucophoyx thula_= (Molina): Snowy Egret.--Ten individuals of this
species were feeding in association with Reddish Egrets in the inlet at
Camp 2 on July 9.
=_Hydranassa tricolor_= (P. L. S. Müller): Tricolored Heron.--An
observation of one individual flying along the margin of the laguna
near Camp 2 is our only record of this species.
=_Nycticorax nycticorax_= (Linnaeus): Black-crowned Night Heron.--This
heron was found only at the edge of the laguna near Camp 2; ten
individuals were noted on July 8, and 20 were seen perched in a clump
of mesquite trees on July 9. Perhaps half the birds seen were in
juvenal plumage. A juvenile was shot and examined on July 9 but was not
preserved as a specimen.
There appears to be no definite evidence of breeding by this species in
Tamaulipas (Mexican Check-list, 1950:32), but such may be expected
because the species breeds locally in Texas (Peterson, 1960:19) and in
Veracruz.
=_Ajaia ajaja_= (Linnaeus): Roseate Spoonbill.--On July 9 at Camp 2,
38 spoonbills flew up from the edge of the laguna where they had been
resting near a large flock of white pelicans.
=_Cathartes aura_= (Linnaeus): Turkey Vulture.--One Turkey Vulture was
seen flying east at a point 2 miles west of Washington Beach on July
10. It is noteworthy that we saw no Yellow-headed Vultures (_C.
burrovianus_), a species recently recorded in the region of Tampico
north to Lomas del Real (Graber and Graber, 1954_a_).
=_Colinus virginianus texanus_= (Lawrence): Bob-white.--This species
was seen only in or near clumps of mesquite near Camp 1, where three
covies (7, 13, and 18 individuals) were flushed on July 7. Specimen:
[M] juv., 38900, testis 3 mm., 100 gm., 6 P old, Camp 1, July 7.
=_Porzana carolina_= (Linnaeus): Sora Rail.--On sand flats at Camp 1 we
found a left humerus and several other post-cranial skeletal elements
that have been identified by Dr. Pierce Brodkorb as belonging to this
species. All the bones are of Recent age. We have no other record of
the Sora Rail on the barrier island, but in all probability it occurs
as a migrant and winter visitant along margins of the laguna.
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