Bartlett's Tinamou vs Variegated Tinamou
Crypturellus bartletti compared with Crypturellus variegatus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Bartlett's Tinamou | Variegated Tinamou |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Crypturellus bartletti | Crypturellus variegatus |
| Order | Tinamiformes | Tinamiformes |
| Family | Tinamidae | Tinamidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 27.1 cm (10.7 in) | 31.1 cm (12.2 in) |
| Weight | 241.0 g (8.50 oz) | 363.0 g (12.80 oz) |
| Diet | Grazes aquatic vegetation, grasses, and sedges in South American marshes; wades in shallow water; diet … | Herbivorous grazer eating grasses, sedges, and aquatic vegetation; grazes communally on flooded grasslands in northern … |
| Clutch Size | -- | 1 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Bartlett's Tinamou
Lowland humid forest in the western Amazon basin of Peru, Ecuador, and adjacent Colombia and Brazil. Prefers undisturbed terra firme and seasonally flooded forest interior below 400 m.
Variegated Tinamou
Lowland humid tropical forest in the Amazon basin, from southern Venezuela and the Guianas through Peru, Bolivia, and central Brazil. Prefers undisturbed forest interior, tolerating some várzea and forest edge.
Song & Call Comparison
Bartlett's Tinamou
A soft, repeated whistle from Amazonian lowland forest. Less well known than other Crypturellus; its call is a simple 2-note descending whistle given from dense cover.
Variegated Tinamou
A clear, loud whistle of 2-3 falling notes. Called variably from lowland Amazonian forest. One of the more frequently encountered and identified Crypturellus in its range.
Geographic Range & Migration
Bartlett's Tinamou
Ranges from southern Mexico through Central America to northern South America. Sedentary in humid lowland forest understory.
Variegated Tinamou
Found in the highlands of central Peru, Bolivia, and northwestern Argentina. Sedentary in puna grasslands at 3,000–4,500 m.
Conservation Status
Bartlett's Tinamou
Variegated Tinamou
How to Tell Them Apart
Bartlett's Tinamou
Brown upperparts with fine blackish barring; crown dark. Throat whitish to pale buff; breast rufous-brown. Belly buff-white. Reddish legs. Small tinamou of Amazonian lowland forests; sexes similar.
Variegated Tinamou
Boldly variegated: upperparts rufous-chestnut with heavy black barring and spots. Crown black; face and throat buff-white. Breast pale rufous. Belly whitish. Vivid pattern distinct among tinamous.
About These Birds
Bartlett's Tinamou
A small brown tinamou with obscure barring and a grey throat, named after naturalist Edward Bartlett. Found in the western Amazon basin in Peru, Ecuador, and adjacent Brazil. Terrestrial and cryptic; detected mainly by its soft clear whistle in humid forest.
Variegated Tinamou
A medium-sized tinamou with heavily patterned plumage—chestnut, black, and buff barring—making it one of the most intricately patterned tinamous. Found throughout Amazonia. Its loud rolling whistle carries through the forest. Feeds on fruits and invertebrates in forest undergrowth.