Behavior

Foraging

Chilean Tinamou is terrestrial. This species uses its bill to extract seeds and bulbs from the soil (Rottman 1968).

Locomotion

Chilean Tinamou usually retreats on the ground, within cover, and only flushes as a very close approach. The flight is strong and rapid, "but the bird soon tires and if flushed and followed persistently can often be caught on the ground" (Johnson 1965).

Self-maintenance

Chilean Tinamou makes a small hollow in which to lie (Smith 1908).

There is no published data on territorial defense, maintenance, or home range size for Chilean Tinamou.

Male Chilean Tinamous mate with several females, all of which lay the eggs in a single nest; each females then mates with one or more other males (Rottman 1968). This is consistent with the breeding systems of other species, as "the general rule among tinamous is simultaneous polygyny for males and sequential polyandry for females" (Cabot 1992).

Early reports (Wetmore 1926, Johnson 1965) described Chilean Tinamou as most often found in "small coveys", but perhaps these observations refer to family groups; typically Chilean Tinamou is solitary (Jaramillo 2003).

Foxes in Chile primarily prey on rodents, but also take small numbers of Chilean Tinamous (Durán et al. 1987).  A chick was found killed by a California Quail (Callipepla californica) (Smith 1908). This tinamous also can be predated by domestic dogs (Rottman 1968).