Animalia Life

Tinamus major
TAXONOMY
Tinamus major Gmelin, 1789, Cayenne.
OTHER COMMON NAMES
English: Mountain hen; French: Grand tinamou; German: GroЯtinamu; Spanish: Tinamъ Olivбceo.
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS
17.5 in (44 cm), 2.5 lb (1.1 kg). Female slightly larger. Overall color ranges from light to dark olive brown. Whitish on throat and center of belly.
DISTRIBUTION
Widely distributed, with seven subspecies in Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala, French Guiana, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, and Venezuela.
HABITAT
Dense tropical and subtropical forest, preferably with an open floor, at altitudes of 1,000–5,000 ft (300–1,500 m).
BEHAVIOR
Usually solitary, maintaining a home range. The call is a series of musical, tremulous whistles.
FEEDING ECOLOGY AND DIET
Feeds on the forest floor, taking fruits and seeds, especially of the Lauraceae, Annonaceae, Myrtaceae, and Sapotaceae.
REPRODUCTIVE BIOLOGY
The breeding season is long, extending from mid-winter to late summer. The nest, built between buttresses of a forest tree, contains 3–6 glossy turquoise or violet eggs. The male alone incubates eggs and rears the brood.
CONSERVATION STATUS
Not threatened.
SIGNIFICANCE TO HUMANS
It is hunted as a game bird, especially around towns, but has survived better than other game species. The great tinamou has various roles in native American folklore in Brazil, Colombia, and Panama.

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