Barred Tinamou vs Great Tinamou
Crypturellus casiquiare compared with Tinamus major
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Barred Tinamou | Great Tinamou |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Crypturellus casiquiare | Tinamus major |
| Order | Tinamiformes | Tinamiformes |
| Family | Tinamidae | Tinamidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 27.0 cm (10.6 in) | 48.2 cm (19.0 in) |
| Weight | 287.625 g (10.15 oz) | 1006.75 g (35.51 oz) |
| Diet | Grazes grasses and aquatic vegetation near wetland edges; sedges and stems dominate diet; supplements with … | Ground-forager eating seeds, fallen fruits, and small invertebrates in Chilean matorral scrub; pecks and scratches … |
| Clutch Size | -- | 3-6 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Barred Tinamou
Restricted to humid lowland forest along the Casiquiare canal region of southern Venezuela and extreme northwestern Brazil. Associated with river-edge and flooded forest at low elevations. Rarely recorded.
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
Barred Tinamou
A slow, hollow whistle from blackwater river forest of the upper Orinoco. Call is distinctive but rarely recorded given its restricted range on the Venezuela-Colombia border.
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
Barred Tinamou
Inhabits savannas and forest edges of northeastern Brazil's semi-arid Caatinga region. Sedentary and endemic to this biome.
Great Tinamou
Found in open habitats from Venezuela and Guianas through Bolivia to northeastern Argentina. Sedentary in dry savannas and grasslands.
Conservation Status
Barred Tinamou
Great Tinamou
How to Tell Them Apart
Barred Tinamou
Heavily and boldly barred throughout; upperparts dark brown with broad black bars. Crown blackish; face pale. Throat whitish; breast and flanks strongly barred black and buff. Belly whitish.
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
Barred Tinamou
A small tinamou with distinctly barred brown-and-buff plumage. Restricted to the Casiquiare region of Venezuela and adjacent northwestern Brazil—one of the most restricted tinamou ranges. Nearly all data come from specimens. Inhabits humid lowland forest along river systems.
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.