Rusty Tinamou vs Ornate Tinamou
Crypturellus brevirostris compared with Nothoprocta ornata
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Rusty Tinamou | Ornate Tinamou |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Crypturellus brevirostris | Nothoprocta ornata |
| Order | Tinamiformes | Tinamiformes |
| Family | Tinamidae | Tinamidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 27.7 cm (10.9 in) | 37.1 cm (14.6 in) |
| Weight | 273.9 g (9.66 oz) | 624.5 g (22.03 oz) |
| Diet | Omnivorous screamer; grazes aquatic plants, seeds, and grasses in South American wetlands; supplements with invertebrates. | Herbivorous, grazing grasses and sedges near water; dabbles for aquatic invertebrates during breeding; forms large … |
| Clutch Size | -- | 4-9 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Rusty Tinamou
Lowland terra firme rainforest in the central Amazon basin of Brazil. Prefers dense undisturbed forest interior with thick leaf litter and low understorey vegetation. Rarely recorded.
Ornate Tinamou
High puna grassland, rocky outcrops, and shrubby slopes at 3,000–4,800 m in the Andes from Peru through Bolivia to northwestern Argentina and Chile. Often near rocky gullies and streams.
Song & Call Comparison
Rusty Tinamou
A high, thin whistle with a slightly raspy quality. Smaller than most forest tinamous; its call reflects its diminutive size. Heard in terra firme forest of the Amazon basin.
Ornate Tinamou
A musical, clear whistle from Andean puna and bofedales. Call is a repeated 2-note phrase. Considered one of the more melodic high-elevation tinamous in the genus.
Geographic Range & Migration
Rusty Tinamou
Found in coastal lowlands and forest edges of Pacific-slope Ecuador and northern Peru. Sedentary; inhabits dry coastal scrub.
Ornate Tinamou
Ranges along Pacific slopes of the Andes from Ecuador to central Chile. Sedentary in arid and semi-arid foothill scrub.
Conservation Status
Rusty Tinamou
Ornate Tinamou
How to Tell Them Apart
Rusty Tinamou
Warm rusty-rufous brown upperparts with faint darker barring; crown slightly darker. Throat pale buff; breast uniform rusty-rufous. Belly paler buff. Short-billed; legs reddish. Sexes similar.
Ornate Tinamou
Intricately patterned; upperparts grayish-brown with black streaks and whitish shaft streaks. Bold pale supercilium. Breast spotted and streaked on pale buff. Belly whitish. Striking Andean species.
About These Birds
Rusty Tinamou
A small tinamou with rich warm rufous-brown plumage and a short stout bill. Found in the central Amazon basin of Brazil. Poorly studied; known mainly from specimens and limited field encounters. Terrestrial and secretive, inhabiting the dense floor of Amazonian rainforest.
Ornate Tinamou
A striking medium-sized tinamou with intricately patterned brown, black, and white plumage—one of the most ornately marked tinamou species. Found in Andean puna from Peru to Argentina. Terrestrial and gregarious, often found in small flocks. Calls with a clear fluted whistle.