Patagonian Tinamou

About

A large crested tinamou with grey-brown plumage and bold pale streaking. Endemic to Patagonian steppe of southern Argentina and Chile. Found on open wind-swept grasslands. Forms small flocks outside breeding season. Its loud call resonates across the barren steppe.

Physical Description

Measurement	Value	Imperial
Wingspan	43.0 cm	16.9 in
Weight	950.0 g	33.51 oz

Identification

Plumage

Large tinamou with grayish-brown upperparts, dark streaking, and buff shaft streaks. Pale supercilium. Breast grayish, spotted. Belly pale. Patagonian steppe specialist; sexes similar.

Habitat & Range

Open Patagonian steppe, grassland, and rocky semi-desert from southern Buenos Aires Province south to Tierra del Fuego. Adapts to cold windy exposed conditions. Groups near rocky outcrops and shrub patches.

🏜️ Desert 🌾 Grassland

Geographic Range

Found in forests of the Andes foothills from Colombia to Bolivia. Sedentary in cloud forest undergrowth at 600–2,000 m.

Diet & Feeding

Arctic-breeding; grazes grasses, sedges, and cotton-grass in tundra; winter diet shifts to marine grasses and agricultural crops.

Conservation Status

Least Concern

IUCN Red List

Behavior & Breeding

Nesting

Nest type: SC.

Clutch Size

8-12

Sound

Song

A repeated whistle from Patagonian steppe. Call is a simple, clear 2-note phrase. Considered less vocal than some relatives; its open habitat carries sound well regardless.

Taxonomy

Kingdom	Animalia
Phylum	Chordata
Class	Aves
Order	Tinamiformes (Tinamous)
Family	Tinamidae (Tinamous)
Genus	Tinamotis
Species	Tinamotis ingoufi

Distribution

Patagonian Tinamou has been recorded in 1 countries.

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Present Not recorded

countries highlighted

🇳🇴 Norway

External Databases

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the Patagonian Tinamou eat?

Arctic-breeding; grazes grasses, sedges, and cotton-grass in tundra; winter diet shifts to marine grasses and agricultural crops.

Where does the Patagonian Tinamou live?

Open Patagonian steppe, grassland, and rocky semi-desert from southern Buenos Aires Province south to Tierra del Fuego. Adapts to cold windy exposed conditions. Groups near rocky outcrops and shrub patches.

Is the Patagonian Tinamou endangered?

The Patagonian Tinamou has a conservation status of Least Concern.

How does the Patagonian Tinamou nest?

Nest type: SC.

What does the Patagonian Tinamou sound like?

A repeated whistle from Patagonian steppe. Call is a simple, clear 2-note phrase. Considered less vocal than some relatives; its open habitat carries sound well regardless.

How big is the Patagonian Tinamou?

The Patagonian Tinamou has a wingspan of 43.0 cm, weight of 950.0 g.

What order and family does the Patagonian Tinamou belong to?

The Patagonian Tinamou (Tinamotis ingoufi) belongs to the order Tinamiformes and the family Tinamidae.