Crested Guan
NameCrested Guan
Common NameCrested Guan
Scientific NamePenelope purpurascens
FamilyCracidae
Wingspan (cm)76
Length (cm)80
Weight (g)2200
Plumage DetailsMostly dark brown to blackish plumage, often with a purplish sheen, and distinctive white spots on the flanks and breast. It features a shaggy black crest and a bright red, unfeathered throat wattle. The long tail is dark, often with a reddish-brown undertail.
Vocalization / CallKnown for its loud, booming calls, often described as a 'honking' or 'roaring' sound, particularly at dawn and dusk. It also produces various clucking and cackling vocalizations.
Primary Dietomnivore
Primary Habitatsforest
Conservation Statusleast-concern
Geographic RangeFound from southern Mexico through Central America, extending south to northern Colombia and northwestern Ecuador.
Identifying Featuresshaggy black crest, bright red throat wattle, dark plumage with white spots on flanks, large size, long reddish-brown tail
Description
The Crested Guan is a large, dark-bodied game bird characterized by its shaggy black crest and prominent red throat wattle. It is primarily arboreal, foraging for fruits and leaves in tropical and subtropical forests, but also descends to the ground.
