Pale-browed Tinamou

Overview

The Crypturellus transfasciatus is a Near Threatened bird species belonging to the family Tinamidae. It is a type of tinamou found in the tropical dry forests of Peru and Ecuador.

Identification

• Approximately 28 cm (11 in) in length with a very brown crown and a prominent white supercilium.
• Greyish-brown uppercoat finely vermiculated with black, featuring a white throat and greyish to buffy underparts.
• Barred flanks and pink legs.
• As a tinamou, it is capable of flight but is generally not a strong flyer.

Habitat

Native to western Ecuador and northwestern Peru, the species inhabits subtropical and tropical arid forests up to 1,500 m in altitude. It is specifically found in the Ecuadorian dry forests and Tumbes–Piura dry forests ecoregions.

Diet

This bird forages on the ground or in low-lying bushes, primarily consuming fruit. It also eats small amounts of invertebrates, flower buds, tender leaves, seeds, and roots.

Did you know?

In early 2021, a fake political video claiming to support an Ecuadorian candidate was exposed because audio analysis revealed the calls of a pale-browed tinamou, a species that does not occur in the Colombian region claimed in the footage.