Bartlett's Tinamou vs Grey Tinamou
Crypturellus bartletti compared with Tinamus tao
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Bartlett's Tinamou | Grey Tinamou |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Crypturellus bartletti | Tinamus tao |
| Order | Tinamiformes | Tinamiformes |
| Family | Tinamidae | Tinamidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Vulnerable |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 27.1 cm (10.7 in) | 55.7 cm (21.9 in) |
| Weight | 241.0 g (8.50 oz) | 1674.5 g (59.07 oz) |
| Diet | Grazes aquatic vegetation, grasses, and sedges in South American marshes; wades in shallow water; diet … | Herbivorous tinamou feeding on seeds, fruits, and tender leaves in Andean foothills; occasionally takes insects … |
| Clutch Size | -- | 2-9 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Bartlett's Tinamou
Lowland humid forest in the western Amazon basin of Peru, Ecuador, and adjacent Colombia and Brazil. Prefers undisturbed terra firme and seasonally flooded forest interior below 400 m.
Grey Tinamou
Tropical and subtropical humid montane forest from Venezuela and Colombia south to Bolivia and northern Brazil at 200–1,800 m. Favors dense undergrowth near forest streams. Nests on the ground among leaf litter.
Song & Call Comparison
Bartlett's Tinamou
A soft, repeated whistle from Amazonian lowland forest. Less well known than other Crypturellus; its call is a simple 2-note descending whistle given from dense cover.
Grey Tinamou
A series of haunting, flute-like hollow whistles 'whooo-wooo' delivered at dawn and dusk from within humid forest. Mournful, far-carrying quality typical of large forest tinamous.
Geographic Range & Migration
Bartlett's Tinamou
Ranges from southern Mexico through Central America to northern South America. Sedentary in humid lowland forest understory.
Grey Tinamou
Found in open habitats across South America from Colombia and Venezuela to Chile and Argentina. Sedentary; some local altitudinal shifts.
Conservation Status
Bartlett's Tinamou
Grey Tinamou
How to Tell Them Apart
Bartlett's Tinamou
Brown upperparts with fine blackish barring; crown dark. Throat whitish to pale buff; breast rufous-brown. Belly buff-white. Reddish legs. Small tinamou of Amazonian lowland forests; sexes similar.
Grey Tinamou
Uniform dark slate-gray upperparts finely vermiculated with black. Throat whitish; breast pale gray. Flanks barred with dark brown. Sexes similar; cryptic plumage suits humid forest floor.
About These Birds
Bartlett's Tinamou
A small brown tinamou with obscure barring and a grey throat, named after naturalist Edward Bartlett. Found in the western Amazon basin in Peru, Ecuador, and adjacent Brazil. Terrestrial and cryptic; detected mainly by its soft clear whistle in humid forest.
Grey Tinamou
A large tinamou with uniform grey-brown plumage, barred flanks, and a long pale bill. Terrestrial and cryptic, moving silently through undergrowth. Found in Andean foothills and montane forests. Males incubate brilliantly colored turquoise-green eggs alone. Often detected by its haunting flute-like call at dawn.