Little Tinamou vs Great Tinamou
Crypturellus soui compared with Tinamus major
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Little Tinamou | Great Tinamou |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Crypturellus soui | Tinamus major |
| Order | Tinamiformes | Tinamiformes |
| Family | Tinamidae | Tinamidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 25.5 cm (10.0 in) | 48.2 cm (19.0 in) |
| Weight | 247.25 g (8.72 oz) | 1006.75 g (35.51 oz) |
| Diet | Omnivorous ground-forager; eats seeds, fallen fruits, termites, and beetles across lowland South American forests. | Ground-forager eating seeds, fallen fruits, and small invertebrates in Chilean matorral scrub; pecks and scratches … |
| Clutch Size | 1-2 | 3-6 |
| 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.
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
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.
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
Little Tinamou
Endemic to subtropical forests of northwestern Argentina, southeastern Bolivia, and adjacent Paraguay. Non-migratory; range restricted.
Great Tinamou
Found in open habitats from Venezuela and Guianas through Bolivia to northeastern Argentina. Sedentary in dry savannas and grasslands.
Conservation Status
Little Tinamou
Great 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.
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
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.
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.