TINAMOUS or SOUTHAMERICAN PARTRIDGES

         When the spanish conquerors arrived to South America, found in great abundance some birds with similar aspect to the spanish partridge, therefore they named it "partridge" logically. However, its similarity with the gallinaceous is only apparent, because they are birds with very primitive zoological conditions.
         Tinamous (Tinamiformes), with Penguins (Sphenisciformes) and Rheas (Rheiformes) form the ancenstral birds group belonging to the New World.

        Tinamous' size vary between a chicken and a quail, being the female larger than male. Live mainly on the ground, eating seeds, fruits, insects and its larvas, and only flying occasionally to be pursued, or to change of a feeding field to other.
        For its plumage little showy and with very mimetism, it's difficult to see them while they don´t raise the flight, what accustom to make ít with a strong and strident hiss akin to the european partridge, and in a right and short flight. It has a small cranium, the bill is thin and bandy downward and tail is exceptionally short. The wings are rounded and compared with the size of its body are small. For that, the flight escape of a danger is not too long

         The male can have one or several females. Nestle always on ground, in a space protected by some small shrub, long grass or plant that chooses the male, space that covers with dry leaves and feathers, putting in the nest the eggs of all females, generally between 5 to 12, of live colors and porcelain sheen. These are different between the species, since while Nothoprocta eggs have a chocolate - purple tone, Tinamotis are clear greenish with white little spots; and of the Eudromia are green. As a general rule, it is the male who incubates the eggs during 21 days; and cares the chickens, who abandon the nest on the following day of the birth. Quickly they learn to fly and to be cared by itself.

         Of 48 species found from south of Mexico to Strait of Magallanes, six more a subspecies live in Chile. Of these, four species belong to Nothoprocta genus, two to Tinamotis and one to Eudromia; it being distinguished the Tinamotis by having the feet and the fingers with very visible shields; and this with Eudromia genus by lacking of rear finger present in Nothoprocta .

Order: Tinamiformes
Family: Tinamidae