"The Turco is not uncommon. It lives on the ground, sheltered among the thickets which are scattered over the dry and sterile hills. With its tail erect, and stilt-like legs, it may be seen every now and then popping from one bush to another with uncommon quickness. It really requires little imagination to believe that the bird is ashamed of itself, and is aware of its most ridiculous figure. On first seeing it, one is tempted to exclaim, 'A viley stuffed specimen has escaped from some museum and has come to life again!'. It cannot be made to take flight without the greatest trouble, nor does it run but hops." Charles Darwin, Voyage of the Beagle
NOT HOPPING!? Say it isn't so. Anyway, the Turco (Pteroptochos megapodius) is an endemic Chilean antbird.
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Good day at Wilkes with Adventures in Science - had 120 elementary school kids come by and we checked out microbes, parasites and I had a crab they petted (seriously).
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