Andean Tinamou vs Dwarf Tinamou
Nothoprocta pentlandii compared with Taoniscus nanus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Andean Tinamou | Dwarf Tinamou |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Nothoprocta pentlandii | Taoniscus nanus |
| Order | Tinamiformes | Tinamiformes |
| Family | Tinamidae | Tinamidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Endangered |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 29.6 cm (11.7 in) | 15.3 cm (6.0 in) |
| Weight | 316.01666666666665 g (11.15 oz) | 43.0 g (1.52 oz) |
| Diet | Herbivorous grazer feeding on grasses and aquatic sedges near wetlands; supplements diet with aquatic invertebrates … | Eats grasses and agricultural grain; migratory; grazes pastures and stubble fields in winter across Europe … |
| Clutch Size | 5-8 | 3 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
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.
Dwarf Tinamou
Intact campo sujo and campo limpo grasslands of the cerrado in central Brazil. Extremely sensitive to burning, grazing, and conversion of native grasslands. One of the world's most poorly known birds.
Song & Call Comparison
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.
Dwarf Tinamou
Poorly documented; the Dwarf Tinamou is an endangered cerrado endemic whose call is a thin, very high-pitched whistle. Rarely recorded; secretive in tall grass.
Geographic Range & Migration
Andean Tinamou
Inhabits forests and edges in a broad arc from Costa Rica to northern Argentina and southeastern Brazil. Largely sedentary.
Dwarf Tinamou
Found in the coastal Humboldt Current region of Peru and Chile. Largely sedentary; range closely tied to cold upwelling waters.
Conservation Status
Andean Tinamou
Dwarf Tinamou
How to Tell Them Apart
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.
Dwarf Tinamou
Minute; brown-gray upperparts with buff and blackish barring. Crown dark brown with pale center. Throat pale; breast buff with brown spots. Belly whitish. Smallest tinamou; critically threatened cerrado species.
About These Birds
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.
Dwarf Tinamou
The smallest tinamou in the world, weighing only 40–50 g, with brown-streaked plumage and a very short bill. Critically Endangered and poorly known; restricted to intact cerrado grasslands of central Brazil. Considered one of South America's rarest and most enigmatic birds.