H.J. Ruiz – Avian101

Elegant Crested Tinamou a.k.a. Martineta Tinamou, Eudromia elegans

This is a medium-sized tinamou that can be found in southern Chile and Argentina in shrub-land.

Elegant-crested Tinamou

Eudromia comes from two Greek words, eu meaning well or nicely, and dromos meaning a running escape. These definitions together mean, nice running escape, which refers to their habit of escaping predators by running. Finally, elegans means neat or elegant, and martinete is Spanish for night heron because its elegant crest is reminiscent of a night heron’s crest.

The Elegant-crested Tinamou averages 39–41 cm (15–16 in) long. The species is a dark or yellowish brown partridge-like bird with a short tail and wings, two white stripes on each side of its face and a long crest with an upward pointed tip. The feet have no hind toes and the bluish or greyish legs are short and strong, as they are highly ground bird.

The diet, during the winter, consists mainly of seeds, leaves, fruit and insects, but in the summer it east mainly insects. The nest is a hollow on the ground formed by both birds and situated close to a low bush. The male incubates the eggs and raises the young. When the young chicks hatch, they are down-covered and can run. They leave the nest almost immediately. This Tinamou, unlike others, flocks regularly, especially in winter.

Their call is a loud sad whistle.

All photographs are © H.J. Ruiz – Avian 101 

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