†Crypturellus reai Chandler 2012
Crypturellus atrocapillus
Black-capped tinamou
Crypturellus bartletti
Bartlett's tinamou
Crypturellus berlepschi
Berlepsch's tinamou
Crypturellus boucardi
Slaty-breasted tinamou
Crypturellus brevirostris
Rusty tinamou
Crypturellus casiquiare
Barred tinamou
Crypturellus cinereus
Cinereous tinamou
Crypturellus cinnamomeus
Thicket tinamou
Crypturellus duidae
Grey-legged tinamou
Crypturellus erythropus
Red-legged tinamou
Crypturellus kerriae
Choco tinamou
Crypturellus noctivagus
Yellow-legged tinamou
Crypturellus obsoletus
Brown tinamou
Crypturellus parvirostris
Small-billed tinamou
Crypturellus ptaritepui
Tepui tinamou
Crypturellus soui
Little tinamou
Crypturellus strigulosus
Brazilian tinamou
Crypturellus tataupa
Tataupa tinamou
Crypturellus transfasciatus
Pale-browed tinamou
Crypturellus undulatus
Undulated tinamou
Crypturellus variegatus
Variegated tinamou
Crypturellus is a genus of tinamous containing mostly forest species. However, there are the odd few that are grassland or steppe tinamous. The genus contains 21 species.
The genus Crypturellus was introduced in 1914 by the British ornithologists Baron Brabourne and Charles Chubb with the Tataupa tinamou as the type species.[1][2] The genus name combines the Ancient Greek κρυπτός (kruptós) meaning "hidden" with οὐρά (oura) meaning "tail". The -ellus is a diminutive so that the name means "small hidden tail".[3]
Crypturellus members, like other tinamous, have a cryptic color scheme dominated by browns, buffs, yellows, and greys. Unlike the rest of the family, these birds show some sexual dimorphism: the females are more heavily barred than the males and are also a bit brighter and larger.
The majority of species occupy forests or rain forests, preferring lower elevations. They range from Uruguay to Mexico. However, the earliest known occurrence of the genus is a fossil humerus, described as Crypturellus reai, from the Early Miocene Santa Cruz Formation of Patagonia.[4]
Crypturellus are a very loud group of birds with melodious calls. They tend to use lower frequency when they call than other members of the Tinamou. Males and females have different calls and each species also has different calls. Normally each sex will have a long and a short phrase call.[5] The genus can be grouped into two partial groups based on the similarity of their calls.[6]