Tinamou is any of a group of ground-living birds that live from Mexico to South America. Most tinamous have brownish feathers, dark above and paler below. Their short wings and strong legs make them well suited for life on the ground, and they rarely fly. They grow to between 6 and 20 inches (15 and 50 centimeters) long. Tinamous feed on seeds, berries, and insects. They nest on the ground. A female tinamou may lay 12 or more eggs in the breeding season. Both eggs and young are cared for by the male.
