The curve-billed tinamou is a type of tinamou commonly found in high-altitude grassland and shrubland habitats in the Andes of South America.
Region
Andes Mountains
Typical Environment
Occurs in high-altitude puna grasslands, tussock slopes, and shrub-dotted hillsides of the central Andean cordillera. It favors dry to semi-arid uplands with scattered rocks and bunchgrasses that provide cover. Birds often use ecotones where grasslands meet low scrub, and may forage along edges of agricultural plots. The species is mostly sedentary, shifting locally with weather and food availability.
Altitude Range
3000–4800 m
Climate Zone
Highland
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 2/5
The curve-billed tinamou is a ground-dwelling bird of the high Andes, where it blends into grasslands and shrublands with cryptic plumage. Like other tinamous, males incubate eggs from multiple females and raise the chicks. It prefers to run and hide, flushing only in short, explosive flights when disturbed. Its slightly decurved bill helps it probe soil for bulbs, seeds, and invertebrates.
Temperament
secretive and wary
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats with explosive flush; low, brief flights
Social Behavior
Usually seen singly or in small coveys outside the breeding season, keeping close to ground cover. During breeding, males establish small territories, gather clutches from multiple females, and perform all incubation and chick-rearing. Nests are shallow ground scrapes hidden under grass tussocks or shrubs.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Gives mellow, far-carrying whistled notes, often a series of clear, descending whistles repeated at intervals. Calls are most frequent at dawn and dusk and can travel long distances across open slopes.
Plumage
Densely mottled and barred brown, grey, and buff with fine vermiculation that provides excellent camouflage in grass and scree. Underparts are paler with dusky barring on the flanks; crown and mantle are grizzled. Feathers appear soft and compact, aiding in cryptic concealment.
Diet
Feeds on a mix of seeds, grass shoots, bulbs, and berries, supplemented by insects and other small invertebrates. The slightly curved bill allows probing in soft soil and leaf litter for tubers and grubs. It also picks items from the ground surface and occasionally gleans along shrub bases. Diet shifts seasonally with availability of seeds and invertebrates.
Preferred Environment
Forages in open puna grasslands, along rocky slopes, and at the margins of dwarf scrub. It often uses areas with scattered cover to feed while remaining concealed and may visit stubble fields near highland settlements.
