Andean Tinamou vs Black Tinamou
Nothoprocta pentlandii compared with Tinamus osgoodi
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Andean Tinamou | Black Tinamou |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Nothoprocta pentlandii | Tinamus osgoodi |
| Order | Tinamiformes | Tinamiformes |
| Family | Tinamidae | Tinamidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Vulnerable |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 29.6 cm (11.7 in) | 46.4 cm (18.3 in) |
| Weight | 316.01666666666665 g (11.15 oz) | 1392.5 g (49.12 oz) |
| Diet | Herbivorous grazer feeding on grasses and aquatic sedges near wetlands; supplements diet with aquatic invertebrates … | Forages forest floors for fallen seeds, fruits, tubers, and beetles; solitary and cryptic; diet varies … |
| Clutch Size | 5-8 | 2 |
| 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.
Black Tinamou
Humid cloud forest at 1,000–1,800 m in the Andes of southwestern Colombia and northern Peru. Favors steep terrain with dense undergrowth and mossy forest floor. Extremely range-restricted and rarely observed.
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.
Black Tinamou
A deep, resonant, single-note whistle with a sad, hollow quality. Poorly documented due to its remote Peruvian cloud forest habitat. Calls infrequently compared to other large tinamous.
Geographic Range & Migration
Andean Tinamou
Inhabits forests and edges in a broad arc from Costa Rica to northern Argentina and southeastern Brazil. Largely sedentary.
Black Tinamou
Inhabits tropical and subtropical forests from southern Mexico to Bolivia and central Brazil. Largely sedentary across its wide range.
Conservation Status
Andean Tinamou
Black 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.
Black Tinamou
Strikingly dark; upperparts blackish-brown with very fine pale vermiculations. Underparts dark slate-gray, barely paler than back. Throat pale. Legs and bill dark gray. Sexes similar.
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.
Black Tinamou
A large darkly colored tinamou with blackish-brown plumage and pale spotting on the wings. One of the least-known tinamou species, inhabiting cloud forests in Colombia and Peru. Terrestrial and secretive; rarely observed. Known primarily from specimens and occasional recordings.