Falcipennis
Encyclopedia
Falcipennis is a genus of birds in the grouse
family that comprises two very similar species:
Both inhabit northern coniferous forests
and live on conifer needles during the winter. Both have breeding systems with dispersed male territories, intermediate between the leks of some grouse and the monogamy
of others (Storch and Bendell 2003).
; the wings are swept back in flight (Holloway 2003).
Grouse
Grouse are a group of birds from the order Galliformes. They are sometimes considered a family Tetraonidae, though the American Ornithologists' Union and many others include grouse as a subfamily Tetraoninae in the family Phasianidae...
family that comprises two very similar species:
- Siberian GrouseSiberian GrouseThe Siberian Grouse, Falcipennis falcipennis, is a medium-sized grouse.It is very similar to the North American Spruce Grouse, to which it is closely related.The Siberian grouse mostly occurs in forests of spruce, fir, larch and pine...
, Falcipennis falcipennis - Spruce GrouseSpruce GrouseThe Spruce Grouse or Canada Grouse is a medium-sized grouse closely associated with the coniferous boreal forests or taiga of North America. It is one of the most arboreal grouse, fairly well adapted to perching and moving about in trees...
, Falcipennis canadensis
Both inhabit northern coniferous forests
Taiga
Taiga , also known as the boreal forest, is a biome characterized by coniferous forests.Taiga is the world's largest terrestrial biome. In North America it covers most of inland Canada and Alaska as well as parts of the extreme northern continental United States and is known as the Northwoods...
and live on conifer needles during the winter. Both have breeding systems with dispersed male territories, intermediate between the leks of some grouse and the monogamy
Monogamy
Monogamy /Gr. μονός+γάμος - one+marriage/ a form of marriage in which an individual has only one spouse at any one time. In current usage monogamy often refers to having one sexual partner irrespective of marriage or reproduction...
of others (Storch and Bendell 2003).
Etymology
Falcipennis means "sickle-winged" in New LatinNew Latin
The term New Latin, or Neo-Latin, is used to describe the Latin language used in original works created between c. 1500 and c. 1900. Among other uses, Latin during this period was employed in scholarly and scientific publications...
; the wings are swept back in flight (Holloway 2003).