Curve-billed Tinamou vs Ornate Tinamou
Nothoprocta curvirostris compared with Nothoprocta ornata
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Curve-billed Tinamou | Ornate Tinamou |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Nothoprocta curvirostris | Nothoprocta ornata |
| Order | Tinamiformes | Tinamiformes |
| Family | Tinamidae | Tinamidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 32.0 cm (12.6 in) | 37.1 cm (14.6 in) |
| Weight | 376.0 g (13.26 oz) | 624.5 g (22.03 oz) |
| Diet | Grazes grasses and sedges in Asian wetlands; dabbles for aquatic invertebrates; forms large flocks; migratory … | Herbivorous, grazing grasses and sedges near water; dabbles for aquatic invertebrates during breeding; forms large … |
| Clutch Size | 2-4 | 4-9 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Curve-billed Tinamou
High puna grassland, paramo, and scrubby slopes at 3,000–4,500 m in the Andes of Ecuador and northern Peru. Associated with wet paramo, cushion bogs, and rocky terrain.
Ornate Tinamou
High puna grassland, rocky outcrops, and shrubby slopes at 3,000–4,800 m in the Andes from Peru through Bolivia to northwestern Argentina and Chile. Often near rocky gullies and streams.
Song & Call Comparison
Curve-billed Tinamou
A soft, falling 2-note whistle from Andean cloud forest edges. Carries well through mist-shrouded vegetation. Considered a quieter species overall among highland tinamous.
Ornate Tinamou
A musical, clear whistle from Andean puna and bofedales. Call is a repeated 2-note phrase. Considered one of the more melodic high-elevation tinamous in the genus.
Geographic Range & Migration
Curve-billed Tinamou
Restricted to the Atlantic Forest of southeastern Brazil (Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Minas Gerais). Sedentary; critically threatened.
Ornate Tinamou
Ranges along Pacific slopes of the Andes from Ecuador to central Chile. Sedentary in arid and semi-arid foothill scrub.
Conservation Status
Curve-billed Tinamou
Ornate Tinamou
How to Tell Them Apart
Curve-billed Tinamou
Brown upperparts with blackish vermiculations and buff streaks. Distinctive curved bill. Pale supercilium. Breast spotted on pale buff; belly whitish. Flanks barred. Andean cloud forest species.
Ornate Tinamou
Intricately patterned; upperparts grayish-brown with black streaks and whitish shaft streaks. Bold pale supercilium. Breast spotted and streaked on pale buff. Belly whitish. Striking Andean species.
About These Birds
Curve-billed Tinamou
A small compact tinamou with a notably long decurved bill, brown-streaked plumage, and pale underparts. Found in high Andean grasslands in Ecuador and Peru. The curved bill is adapted to probing soil for invertebrates and tubers in puna habitats.
Ornate Tinamou
A striking medium-sized tinamou with intricately patterned brown, black, and white plumage—one of the most ornately marked tinamou species. Found in Andean puna from Peru to Argentina. Terrestrial and gregarious, often found in small flocks. Calls with a clear fluted whistle.