Slaty-breasted Tinamou vs Great Tinamou
Crypturellus boucardi compared with Tinamus major
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Slaty-breasted Tinamou | Great Tinamou |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Crypturellus boucardi | Tinamus major |
| Order | Tinamiformes | Tinamiformes |
| Family | Tinamidae | Tinamidae |
| Conservation Status | Vulnerable | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 33.0 cm (13.0 in) | 48.2 cm (19.0 in) |
| Weight | 433.875 g (15.30 oz) | 1006.75 g (35.51 oz) |
| Diet | -- | Ground-forager eating seeds, fallen fruits, and small invertebrates in Chilean matorral scrub; pecks and scratches … |
| Clutch Size | 1-10 | 3-6 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Slaty-breasted Tinamou
Humid lowland and foothill forest from sea level to 800 m, from southern Mexico through Central America to northwestern Panama. Prefers undisturbed primary forest interior with dense leaf litter.
Great Tinamou
Humid lowland and foothill tropical rainforest from southern Mexico through Central America to Bolivia and southeastern Brazil. Prefers undisturbed forest interior with dense understorey. Nests on the ground.
Song & Call Comparison
Slaty-breasted Tinamou
A mournful, soft whistle, rarely heard and poorly documented due to its vulnerable status and secretive behavior in humid forest of Mexico and Central America.
Great Tinamou
A beautiful, pure whistled phrase repeated at regular intervals from the forest floor. Call is a clear 'wheeeoo-wheeeoo'. Among the most musical tinamou calls in its range.
Geographic Range & Migration
Slaty-breasted Tinamou
Great Tinamou
Found in open habitats from Venezuela and Guianas through Bolivia to northeastern Argentina. Sedentary in dry savannas and grasslands.
Conservation Status
Slaty-breasted Tinamou
Great Tinamou
How to Tell Them Apart
Slaty-breasted Tinamou
Brown upperparts barred blackish; crown and nape dark brown. Distinctive slate-gray breast contrasting with pale throat and buff belly. Red legs diagnostic. Threatened by habitat loss in Mesoamerica.
Great Tinamou
Olive-brown to grayish-brown upperparts with black vermiculations and barring. Crown darker brownish; throat whitish. Breast grayish-brown; belly pale buff. Flanks barred with dark brown.
About These Birds
Slaty-breasted Tinamou
A medium-sized tinamou with slate-grey breast, brown upperparts, and a reddish bill. Found in humid lowland and foothill forest from southern Mexico to Costa Rica. Terrestrial and secretive; calls with a plaintive two-note whistle heard in shady forest interior.
Great Tinamou
The largest regularly occurring tinamou, with brownish-grey plumage, barred wings, and a pale belly. Common in lowland Neotropical rainforest from Mexico to Bolivia. Males incubate glossy teal-colored eggs. Their haunting multi-note calls resonate through the forest, making them acoustically conspicuous yet visually elusive.