INSIGHTS INTO THE HABITS OF THE ELUSIVE NOCTURNAL CURASSOW (NOTHOCRAX URUMUTUM)

Abstract

Nocturnal Curassows (Nothocrax urumutum) are enigmac birds from South American rainforests. Their elusive habits and noctur-nal vocal behavior have led to the generalized assumpon that they are primarily nocturnal. Here, we compiled camera trap da ta from long-term projects in the Amazon rainforest and the Andes foothills to describe the temporal acvity of Nocturnal Curassows. Base d on an overall sampling eort of 68,838 camera-days (operated for 24-hour periods), we obtained 274 independent records of their acvity. Results of this study showed that Nocturnal Curassows have diurnal habits and that their acvity paern resembles those of other cracids more than previ-ously assumed. This study highlights the use of eld technologies and collaborave research towards a beer understanding of the natural history, ecology, and behavior of animals with crypc behaviors, such as the Nocturnal Curassow.