One family of migratory birds for which there is special need of protection is 
Ardeidae), which has suffered greatly in the past because 
eros phat penn area recs ‘ At one time their numbere were very 
lack of lawe prohibiti their being killed. 
pein Pelased e the Gaited States and several species were almost extirpated in some 
localities, More recently, ae a result of legal protection, they have increased markedly. 
The herons and egrets of the Republic are not listed in this report, for they have never 
been considered to be game birds, Nevertheless, they should be fully protected because 
of their economic and esthetic value. 
Ti namous 
There are two genera of tinamous present in Guatemala, Tinamug and Crypturellus. 
The former is represented by Tinamus major robustus Sclater and 2. pajor percautus 
Van Tyne, both plump, heavy-bodied terrestrial birde about the size of a guinea hen, and 
weighing from about 900 te 1,135 grame. They inhabit the dense tropical forests. 
The genus Crypturellus has three species in Guatemala, Crypturellus sound 
peserythrug (Sclater), C. boucardi boucardi (Sclater) and ¢. cinnamomeys (Lesson). Of the 
last there are two subspecies recorded, and possibly a third in occurrence within the 
Republic. All of the tinamous in this genus here represented are much smaller than 
major spp. Several specimens of ¢. cinnamomeus socomuecensis from San José and 
ZTinams 
Tiquisate weighed about 400 grans. 
All are sought after as game birde, and evidently many are taken for food by 
shooting and trapping. However, their warinees and solitary habits give them a high degree 
of protection. Natural mortality factors seem to play by far the greater part in determin- 
ing their numbers, and it is doubtful that shooting hae much of a reductional effect 
except in the settled areas where they are hunted intensively. 
fhe degree to which they might lie to a bird dog was not ascertained. So seldom 
are dogs of this type used by hunters in these localities that the question has little 
practical significance at present. 
Some of them can be decoyed by imitating one or more of their whistled calls, 
but this requires not only an accurate repetition of their whistlee but also mech patience 
on the part of the hunter as the bird's cautious approach may last a quarter hour or more. 
Judging from comments of resident hunters, thie method seems to be employed very seldom. 
Much of the hunting of tinamous is done during the dry season, when visibility 
through the undergrowth is better and they can be heard walking among the dead leaves. By 
walking quietly along woodland roads and trails and stopping at places where visibility is 
good, the hunter will occasionally hear one pattering around as it feeds on seeds, insects, 
and other small forms of animal life in the leaf mold, and, if fortunate, will be successful 
in shooting it. 
Migratory Waterfowl 
Because of the present critical situation of the waterfowl of North America, 
special attention was directed to an inventory of migratory species present in Guatemala, 
and to conditions affecting their distribution and abundance. 
Neither in 1946, nor in 1947, could the Mission begin field work earlier than 
about March let. However, during the period January 26 to February 10, 1947, and in 
January 1948, special flights were made to Central America as a part of the continental 
waterfowl survey, and several days devoted to aerial reconnaissance of waterfowl wintering 
grounds in Guatemala, 
Practically all of the ducks that are present in the Republic during the period 
from October through March are migrants from Canada, Alaska, and the United States. Only 
the muscovy duck (pato real) and the black-bellied tree duck (pijiji) breed there, but they 
are also present during the remainder of the year. 
Apparently the most common species during the period from October to March are 
the pintail, blue-winged teal, lesser scaup, and black-bellied tree ducks. 
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