Highland Tinamou vs Puna Tinamou
Nothocercus bonapartei compared with Tinamotis pentlandii
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Highland Tinamou | Puna Tinamou |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Nothocercus bonapartei | Tinamotis pentlandii |
| Order | Tinamiformes | Tinamiformes |
| Family | Tinamidae | Tinamidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 42.4 cm (16.7 in) | 50.7 cm (20.0 in) |
| Weight | 712.25 g (25.12 oz) | 943.2 g (33.27 oz) |
| Diet | Seeds, berries, and insects form the diet of this Brazilian cerrado tinamou; forages quietly on … | Eats grasses, roots, and aquatic plants; grazes pastures and wetland margins; diet shifts to cereal … |
| Clutch Size | 2-4 | 4-7 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Highland Tinamou
Humid montane and cloud forest at 1,000–2,500 m in the Andes from Venezuela and Colombia south to Bolivia. Favors dense undergrowth with mossy ground cover near streams. Makes slight downhill movements in winter.
Puna Tinamou
Open puna grassland, bunchgrass plains, and rocky hillsides at 3,500–5,000 m in the Andes from Peru through Bolivia to northern Chile and northwestern Argentina.
Song & Call Comparison
Highland Tinamou
A series of clear, flute-like whistles at varying pitches. The call descends in scale, creating a melancholic phrase. Sings from dense Andean cloud forest understory.
Puna Tinamou
A high-pitched, clear whistle from high Andean puna. Call carries through the thin air of altiplano above 4,000 m elevation. Among the highest-dwelling tinamou species.
Geographic Range & Migration
Highland Tinamou
Found in dense forests and thickets from Colombia and Venezuela to Argentina. Sedentary; locally common in humid lowland forests.
Puna Tinamou
Inhabits marshes and wetland edges across the Southern Cone; from southeastern Brazil to Patagonian Argentina. Partially migratory.
Conservation Status
Highland Tinamou
Puna Tinamou
How to Tell Them Apart
Highland Tinamou
Rufous-brown upperparts heavily vermiculated with black; crown dark brown. Throat whitish; breast and flanks rufous with dark brown barring. Belly pale buff. Sexes alike.
Puna Tinamou
Large; grayish-brown upperparts streaked dark. Crown grayish with pale central stripe; white supercilium. Breast grayish spotted; flanks barred. Belly whitish. Adapted to high-altitude Andean puna.
About These Birds
Highland Tinamou
A medium-sized tinamou with dark brown upperparts, rufous-streaked breast, and a long slightly decurved bill. Inhabits Andean cloud forests. Its rich plaintive whistle is heard more often than the bird itself. Feeds on berries, seeds, and invertebrates on damp mossy forest floors.
Puna Tinamou
A large robustly built tinamou with grey-brown streaked plumage and a slightly crested head. The only tinamou with a vestigial crest. Found on high Andean puna and altiplano. Gregarious, foraging in flocks on bunchgrass plains and rocky hillsides.