Notes on the Game Birds and Shorebirds of Guatemala 
1. Binams major robustus Sclater and Salvin 
Robust Tinamou 
Guatemalan: cholola, colola, Juan golola, gololo, perdiz grande, verdiz de la montana 
English: partridge, bush hen 
Status,--Reported to be a common resident of the dense tropical forests, especially those 
with more open ground cover. The distribution and abundance of this tinamou are affected 
primarily by the changes in its native forest; clearing or selective cutting forces its 
retreat to the remaining heavy woodland. In virgin areas hunting apparently hae little 
effect on the numbers of this species. 
Description.--A large tinamou, the size of a emall guinea hen, general coloration brown 
above, somewhat barred on the back and wings, paler and grayer below. It is plump-bodied, 
full breasted, and has a very short tail, slender neck, and emall head. 
Adults.-—Head and upper neck blackish, some worn specimens showing reddish sub- 
terminal markings: rest of upperparts brown, irregularly barred with black on the back, 
primary coverts, secondaries, and tail coverts; the longest tail coverts finely spotted or 
variegated with dark buff and black; chin and throat white; sides of head and neck all 
around barred with black and light cinnamon giving a very mottled or spotted appearance, 
especially in worn examples; lower parte olive gray, posteriorly barred indistinctly with 
brown; the flanks heavily barred with brownish black and buff; the undertail coverte 
cinnamon buff to cinnamon rufous, streaked and mottled with dark brown. 
Measurement g.~- 
Male (1) 
Wing, 237 
Tail, 88 
Culmen from cere, 16.1 
‘ Tareus, 69 
General Dietribution.--Southeastern Mexico, south in the Caribbean lowlands to Honduras, 
and in the highlands to northern Nicaragua. 
Distribution in Guatemala,--Humid Tropical Zone of the Caribbean drainage, chiefly rain 
forests. It is believed that the distribution of thie subspecies extends northward to 
include the southern part of Petén. 
Records.--"Alta Vera Paz, Panzée, 16 May 1947. One was heard calling in late afternoon. 
Natives say it 18 common in the forest. A half-grown bird is in captivity at Cahaboncillo. 
17 May, one was seen on trail beside the Rfo Cahabéy in thick jungle ..." (Handley) 
Izabal, near Bananera: Mr. Greenberg of the Comanta Agrfcola de Guatemala, reported that 
he and other employees of the company shot these large tinamous in the jungle and on the 
fincas near Bananera, 
Dennis Koester of the Finca Seamay reported it to be common in the woodlands near 
Panzés and Senahi. 7 
Near Cotzal, in the Devartment of Quiché: It was said to be common in the dense 
forest east and north of the Finca San Francisco by George Brol, one of the owners, who is 
an experienced hunter. 
Although to date no specimens have been taken on the Pacific slope, the following 
references may pertain to thie tinamou. At Ixtd4n, near Champerico, Percy Davies, manager of 
the Finca Helvetia and of the salt works near Ixtan, reported seeing large speckled guinea- 
like birde cross woodland roads ahead of his car in that vicinity. These may have been of 
this species as his description was of birds larger than Crypturellus. Griscom mentioned 
“that Anthony writes that he feele convinced he flushed one in the rain forest near Finca 
El Espino." This finca is fifteen miles southof Mazatenango. 
In literature: Choctum, Yzabal, Sierra de las Minas, vrobably on the northern 
elope (Salvin and Godman); Yzabal, eggs (Salvin); Santo TomMs (Lantz). 
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