Courtship behavior of a secretive forest tinamou, Tinamus major (Great Tinamou).

This article focuses on the mating behavior of Tinamus major (Great Tinamou), a secretive rainforest bird species, documenting for the first time its courtship ritual in the wild. Contrary to previous captive-based observations suggesting male courtship, the study found that the putative female predominantly performed courtship displays and vocalizations, including two distinct song types—clucking and soft-rolling songs—while the putative male was mostly passive, engaging in approach and mounting attempts without elaborate displays. The female’s behaviors, such as neck-stretching, tail-raising, crouching, and a newly described feather-fluffing display, suggest a female-biased premating effort consistent with the species’ male-biased parental care. These findings contribute to understanding the complex mating systems of rainforest tinamous and highlight the need for further research on sex-specific courtship roles in paleognath birds.