The little tinamou is a species of tinamou. It is found in Central and South America, as well as on the Caribbean island of Trinidad.
Region
Neotropical lowlands (Central and South America, Trinidad)
Typical Environment
Occurs from southern Mexico through Central America into much of northern and central South America, including the Amazon Basin, the Guianas, and Trinidad. Prefers lowland tropical forest with dense understory and also uses second growth, thickets, forest edges, and shaded plantations. Often stays near areas with ample leaf litter where it can remain concealed. Locally common where habitat persists but declines with heavy hunting and extensive deforestation.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 1600 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 2/5
The little tinamou is a shy, ground-dwelling paleognath related to ostriches and emus, though it can fly short distances if flushed. Males incubate the eggs—often from multiple females—and lead the precocial chicks. Its mournful, ventriloquial whistles carry far through dense forest, making the species easier to hear than to see.
Near Zamora, Ecuador
Temperament
secretive and wary
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats with low, explosive flush
Social Behavior
Mostly solitary or in pairs, keeping to dense cover. Nests on the ground, a simple leaf-lined scrape hidden in thick vegetation. Males incubate and tend the downy young, which are able to follow soon after hatching.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Gives soft, mournful, whistled notes—often a single clear hoo or a short series—repeated at intervals. The call carries over distance and can be hard to localize in forest.
Plumage
Plain, smooth-plumed appearance with finely textured, uniform upperparts and slightly warmer underparts; subtle barring on flanks in some populations.
Diet
Eats small seeds, fallen fruits, and a variety of invertebrates such as insects, spiders, and small snails. Forages by walking slowly and picking items from the leaf litter. Will also probe lightly among leaves and soft soil for hidden prey.
Preferred Environment
Feeds on the forest floor in dense understory, along edges, and in secondary growth. Often uses shaded plantations and overgrown clearings where cover is abundant.
