Cinereous Tinamou
Crypturellus cinereus
The Cinereous Tinamou (Crypturellus cinereus) is a uncommon tinamou found in 9 countries, weighing about 507 g. The cinereous tinamou, also known as brushland tinamou, is a type of ground bird found in swamp and lowland forests in northern South America.







About the Cinereous Tinamou
The cinereous tinamou, also known as brushland tinamou, is a type of ground bird found in swamp and lowland forests in northern South America. They have some localized names that have been used by the indigenous people such as in Amazonas where they are called inambu-pixuna, and in Pará, Brazil where they are called nambu-sujo. Also, throughout their range they are called inhambu-preto. Cinereous tinamous have been around for many centuries. They are part of the oldest families of the world today and have fossils discovered dating back tens of millions of years. Their quick reflexes play a role in their ability to survive.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
The cinereous tinamou is a shy and secretive bird. It is approximately 29–32 cm (11–13 in) in length, and the male bird weighs around 435 grams (15.3 oz) and the female of the species weighs 549–602 grams (19.4–21.2 oz). It is colored similar to the Berlepsch's tinamou in that it is dark brown to sooty brown or brownish black in coloration. It tends to be slightly more brown than the Berlepsch's tinamou. It is recognized by its smoky-grey with reddish-brown crown and nape. The feather shafts on side of its head are white, which shows through on occasion.
What the Cinereous Tinamou sounds like
Where it lives
When to see it
The Cinereous Tinamou can be seen all year round, with peak activity in May. It is a resident species across most of its range.
Easily confused with
Quick questions
- How do you identify a Cinereous Tinamou?
- The cinereous tinamou is a shy and secretive bird. Full identification notes are on this page.
- How big is a Cinereous Tinamou?
- The Cinereous Tinamou is a large sized bird weighing about 507 g.
- Where can you see a Cinereous Tinamou?
- The Cinereous Tinamou occurs in 9 countries, including Colombia, Peru, Brazil, Ecuador and Bolivia.
- What does a Cinereous Tinamou sound like?
- You can listen to 2 field recordings of the Cinereous Tinamou on this page, contributed to xeno-canto under open licences.
- What birds look similar to a Cinereous Tinamou?
- The Cinereous Tinamou is most easily confused with the Thicket Tinamou, the Brown Tinamou and the Tataupa Tinamou.
- Is the Cinereous Tinamou endangered?
- The Cinereous Tinamou is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
Learn the Cinereous Tinamou for real
BeakBrain drills you on photos and calls until you can greet this bird by name in the field. Free to play, on any device.
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