Brown Tinamou vs Solitary Tinamou
Crypturellus obsoletus compared with Tinamus solitarius
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Brown Tinamou | Solitary Tinamou |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Crypturellus obsoletus | Tinamus solitarius |
| Order | Tinamiformes | Tinamiformes |
| Family | Tinamidae | Tinamidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Near Threatened |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 32.0 cm (12.6 in) | 52.3 cm (20.6 in) |
| Weight | 478.8333333333333 g (16.89 oz) | 1428.5 g (50.39 oz) |
| Diet | Eats grass seeds, berries, and arthropods in open cerrado; forages in small groups; invertebrate intake … | Omnivorous ground-forager in Patagonian steppes; eats seeds, berries, shoots, and insects; diet shifts toward seeds … |
| Clutch Size | 2-4 | 6-7 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Brown Tinamou
Humid forests from sea level to 2,200 m along the Andes and in Atlantic Forest of Brazil, Bolivia, Argentina, and Paraguay. Prefers dense forest interior and forest-edge thickets. Tolerates secondary forest.
Solitary Tinamou
Dense Atlantic Forest of eastern Brazil from Bahia south to Rio Grande do Sul, into northeastern Argentina and Paraguay. Prefers humid lowland and foothill forest with closed canopy and thick undergrowth. Below 900 m.
Song & Call Comparison
Brown Tinamou
A slow series of rich, whistled notes, descending or ascending. Call carries through secondary forest. One of the more musical tinamous in the Crypturellus genus.
Solitary Tinamou
Delivers a pure, mournful flute-like whistle repeated slowly. The call is a single clear 'whooo' rising then falling, given from dense understory. Less frequently heard than other tinamous.
Geographic Range & Migration
Brown Tinamou
Inhabits grasslands and open areas across southern South America from sea level to high Patagonian steppes. Largely non-migratory.
Solitary Tinamou
Restricted to Paraguay, southern Bolivia, and northern Argentina. Sedentary in dry Chaco woodlands and open grasslands year-round.
Conservation Status
Brown Tinamou
Solitary Tinamou
How to Tell Them Apart
Brown Tinamou
Plain warm brown upperparts with minimal barring; crown darker. Throat whitish to pale buff; breast rich brown; belly paler buff. Legs and bill reddish. Relatively uniform compared to congeners.
Solitary Tinamou
Rich dark brown upperparts heavily barred and vermiculated with black. Crown dark; throat whitish. Breast rufous-brown; belly pale buff. Flanks broadly barred dark brown. Sexes similar.
About These Birds
Brown Tinamou
A medium-sized dark brown tinamou with paler underparts, barred flanks, and a red bill. Widespread through Atlantic Forest and humid Andean slopes. Its loud mournful whistle is a familiar sound in foothill forests. Omnivorous, eating fruits, seeds, and invertebrates on the forest floor.
Solitary Tinamou
A large heavily built tinamou with dark olive-brown upperparts, pale underparts, and distinctive dark barring. Lives singly in dense Atlantic Forest, rarely seen despite its loud melancholic calls. Feeds on fallen fruit, seeds, and invertebrates. Threatened by deforestation across eastern Brazil.