Little Tinamou

Overview

The little tinamou, Crypturellus soui, is a species of tinamou found in Central and South America and the Caribbean island of Trinidad. Although they resemble ground-dwelling birds like quail, they belong to the family Tinamidae and are capable of flight, despite generally not being strong fliers.

Identification

• Approximately 21.4 to 24 cm in length with unbarred sooty-brown plumage that transitions to grey on the head and a whitish foreneck. - Underside is cinnamon buff, with females appearing slightly lighter and brighter than the darker, less rufescent males. - Almost tailess birds with legs that can be grey, olive, or yellow. - Detected in the field primarily by a soft, descending whinny call produced by both sexes.

Habitat

This species is a resident breeder in tropical lowland forests, rivers-edge forests, lowland evergreen forests, secondary forests, and lowland shrublands up to an altitude of 2,000 m. They are also successful in utilizing cleared forests, plantations, and farmed land.

Diet

Little tinamous forage for seeds, berries, and some insects. They prefer to run on the ground and only fly when absolutely necessary.

Did you know?

The genus name Crypturellus is derived from Ancient Greek meaning "small hidden tail," referring to the bird's nearly tail-less appearance. The specific epithet "soui" comes from an onomatopoeic name used in the local language of Cayenne to describe the bird's call.