Undulated Tinamou

About the Undulated Tinamou

The undulated tinamou (Crypturellus undulatus) is a species of ground bird found in a wide range of wooded habitats in eastern and northern South America. Its generic name Crypturellus is formed from three Latin or Greek words - kruptos meaning "covered" or "hidden", oura meaning "tail", and ellus meaning "diminutive". Therefore, Crypturellus means small, hidden tail. The specific name undulatus originates from the Latin word unda, meaning "wave", and means "furnished with wave-like markings".

All Crypturellus are in the family Tinamidae, thus are classed as ratites, making them relatives of the cassowary, emu, kiwi, ostrich and rhea. Unlike these larger birds, however, tinamous still have the ability to fly, albeit somewhat weakly and not for prolonged periods (typically flying up, to perch on branches, when fleeing threats). It is thought that all ratites evolved from prehistoric flying birds, hence their distant populations in Australia and Oceania; the tinamou is the closest, smallest living relative of these birds.

Crypturellus undulatus manapiare is only known, with certainty, from the vicinity of the Ventuari River in northern... Wikipedia →