The solitary tinamou is a species of paleognath ground bird. This species is native to Atlantic forest of eastern Brazil.
Region
Atlantic Forest of eastern South America
Typical Environment
Primarily found in lowland and foothill sections of the Atlantic Forest, including primary and well-developed secondary rainforest. It favors dense understory, palm-rich groves, and areas with abundant fruiting trees, and can persist in larger forest fragments where hunting pressure is low. Occurs from coastal forests inland into the Serra do Mar foothills. It is highly dependent on continuous canopy and leaf-litter structure for cover and foraging.
Altitude Range
0–1200 m
Climate Zone
Subtropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 2/5
The solitary tinamou is a shy, ground-dwelling paleognath that inhabits the dense Atlantic Forest, where it is more often heard than seen. Males perform all incubation and chick-rearing, often caring for broods formed from eggs laid by multiple females. Its deep, mournful whistles carry far at dawn and dusk and are a hallmark sound of intact forest. Habitat loss and hunting pressure have reduced many local populations.
Illustration by Joseph Smit, 1895
Solitary tinamou eggs in nest
Tinamus solitarius - MHNT
Temperament
solitary and secretive
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats; explosive flush with whirring wings
Social Behavior
Usually encountered alone or in pairs, keeping to dense cover and moving quietly along the forest floor. Nests are simple scrapes on the ground, often concealed among roots or dense understory. Males incubate and care for the chicks, which are precocial and follow the male soon after hatching.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
A series of deep, mellow, far-carrying whistles given mainly at dawn and dusk. The notes are spaced and haunting, often heard long before the bird is seen.
Plumage
Dull grey-brown to olivaceous-brown overall with fine blackish vermiculations and subtle barring, especially on the back and flanks; throat paler and slightly contrasting. Feathers are smooth and compact, giving a sleek, uniform look in shade.
Diet
Feeds largely on fallen fruits and seeds gleaned from the leaf litter, supplementing with insects, spiders, and other small invertebrates. It may occasionally take small vertebrates or tender plant matter. Swallows small grit to aid in grinding food. Foraging is deliberate, with frequent pauses to listen.
Preferred Environment
Forages on the shaded forest floor beneath dense canopy, especially near fruiting trees and along quiet trails or stream edges. It prefers extensive, minimally disturbed tracts but can use larger secondary forests with intact leaf litter.
