Variegated Tinamou vs Solitary Tinamou
Crypturellus variegatus compared with Tinamus solitarius
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Variegated Tinamou | Solitary Tinamou |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Crypturellus variegatus | Tinamus solitarius |
| Order | Tinamiformes | Tinamiformes |
| Family | Tinamidae | Tinamidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Near Threatened |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 31.1 cm (12.2 in) | 52.3 cm (20.6 in) |
| Weight | 363.0 g (12.80 oz) | 1428.5 g (50.39 oz) |
| Diet | Herbivorous grazer eating grasses, sedges, and aquatic vegetation; grazes communally on flooded grasslands in northern … | Omnivorous ground-forager in Patagonian steppes; eats seeds, berries, shoots, and insects; diet shifts toward seeds … |
| Clutch Size | 1 | 6-7 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Variegated Tinamou
Lowland humid tropical forest in the Amazon basin, from southern Venezuela and the Guianas through Peru, Bolivia, and central Brazil. Prefers undisturbed forest interior, tolerating some várzea and forest edge.
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
Variegated Tinamou
A clear, loud whistle of 2-3 falling notes. Called variably from lowland Amazonian forest. One of the more frequently encountered and identified Crypturellus in its range.
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
Variegated Tinamou
Found in the highlands of central Peru, Bolivia, and northwestern Argentina. Sedentary in puna grasslands at 3,000–4,500 m.
Solitary Tinamou
Restricted to Paraguay, southern Bolivia, and northern Argentina. Sedentary in dry Chaco woodlands and open grasslands year-round.
Conservation Status
Variegated Tinamou
Solitary Tinamou
How to Tell Them Apart
Variegated Tinamou
Boldly variegated: upperparts rufous-chestnut with heavy black barring and spots. Crown black; face and throat buff-white. Breast pale rufous. Belly whitish. Vivid pattern distinct among tinamous.
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
Variegated Tinamou
A medium-sized tinamou with heavily patterned plumage—chestnut, black, and buff barring—making it one of the most intricately patterned tinamous. Found throughout Amazonia. Its loud rolling whistle carries through the forest. Feeds on fruits and invertebrates in forest undergrowth.
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.