White-throated Tinamou vs Solitary Tinamou
Tinamus guttatus compared with Tinamus solitarius
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | White-throated Tinamou | Solitary Tinamou |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Tinamus guttatus | Tinamus solitarius |
| Order | Tinamiformes | Tinamiformes |
| Family | Tinamidae | Tinamidae |
| Conservation Status | Near Threatened | Near Threatened |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 39.1 cm (15.4 in) | 52.3 cm (20.6 in) |
| Weight | 688.75 g (24.29 oz) | 1428.5 g (50.39 oz) |
| Diet | Feeds on grass seeds, small invertebrates, and fallen berries in Andean valleys; scratches through dry … | Omnivorous ground-forager in Patagonian steppes; eats seeds, berries, shoots, and insects; diet shifts toward seeds … |
| Clutch Size | 5-6 | 6-7 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
White-throated Tinamou
Lowland humid tropical forest in the western and central Amazon basin, from southern Colombia and Venezuela south through Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia to western Brazil. Prefers undisturbed terra firme forest interior.
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
White-throated Tinamou
Gives high-pitched, pure whistles in a series of 3-4 notes, descending in pitch. Song carries through humid lowland forest. Considered more musical than most other tinamous.
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
White-throated Tinamou
Ranges across open savannas and woodland edges of central and eastern Brazil into Bolivia and Argentina. Non-migratory and resident.
Solitary Tinamou
Restricted to Paraguay, southern Bolivia, and northern Argentina. Sedentary in dry Chaco woodlands and open grasslands year-round.
Conservation Status
White-throated Tinamou
Solitary Tinamou
How to Tell Them Apart
White-throated Tinamou
Brown upperparts finely spotted and barred black. Distinctive pure white throat contrasting with rufous-brown breast. Belly buff-white with dark spots on flanks. Sexes similar.
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
White-throated Tinamou
A medium-large tinamou with bold white spotting on brown upperparts and a distinctive white throat patch. Found in lowland Amazonian rainforest. Its resonant flute-like call is one of the signature sounds of Amazonian forests. Feeds on fallen fruits, seeds, and invertebrates on the forest floor.
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.