Little Tinamou vs Andean Tinamou
Crypturellus soui compared with Nothoprocta pentlandii
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Little Tinamou | Andean Tinamou |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Crypturellus soui | Nothoprocta pentlandii |
| Order | Tinamiformes | Tinamiformes |
| Family | Tinamidae | Tinamidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 25.5 cm (10.0 in) | 29.6 cm (11.7 in) |
| Weight | 247.25 g (8.72 oz) | 316.01666666666665 g (11.15 oz) |
| Diet | Omnivorous ground-forager; eats seeds, fallen fruits, termites, and beetles across lowland South American forests. | Herbivorous grazer feeding on grasses and aquatic sedges near wetlands; supplements diet with aquatic invertebrates … |
| Clutch Size | 1-2 | 5-8 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Little Tinamou
Forest edges, dense secondary growth, overgrown clearings, and thickets from sea level to 1,500 m, from southern Mexico through Central America and throughout tropical South America. Highly adaptable.
Andean Tinamou
Andean valleys, foothills, scrubby slopes, and agricultural land at 1,500–4,000 m from Ecuador through Peru and Bolivia to northwestern Argentina. Tolerates degraded and cultivated areas with scrub remnants.
Song & Call Comparison
Little Tinamou
A soft, high-pitched, repeated whistle — higher in pitch than most tinamous due to its small size. Song is 2-3 ascending notes. Gives thin alarm 'seet' when disturbed.
Andean Tinamou
A rising 2-note whistle from Andean scrub and grassland. Frequently heard during early morning. Considered a vocal species within its highland habitat.
Geographic Range & Migration
Little Tinamou
Endemic to subtropical forests of northwestern Argentina, southeastern Bolivia, and adjacent Paraguay. Non-migratory; range restricted.
Andean Tinamou
Inhabits forests and edges in a broad arc from Costa Rica to northern Argentina and southeastern Brazil. Largely sedentary.
Conservation Status
Little Tinamou
Andean Tinamou
How to Tell Them Apart
Little Tinamou
Males dark brown above with rufous-tinged neck and breast; belly whitish-buff. Females richer rufous-brown with blackish barring on back and wings. Throat pale. Small and compact.
Andean Tinamou
Gray-brown upperparts with blackish streaks and buff shaft-streaks. Pale buff supercilium. Breast spotted brown on buff. Belly whitish. Compact; common across Andean grasslands and scrub.
About These Birds
Little Tinamou
One of the smallest tinamous, with warm brown plumage, rufous underparts, and a red bill. Widespread from southern Mexico to Bolivia and central Brazil. Inhabits forest edges, thickets, and secondary growth in humid lowlands. Its loud ascending whistle carries far through dense vegetation.
Andean Tinamou
A medium-sized tinamou with brown streaked plumage and pale supercilium. Widespread in Andean foothills and inter-Andean valleys from Ecuador to Argentina. Adaptable and locally common; inhabits a variety of open and scrubby habitats at mid to high altitudes.