Wattled Guan vs Nocturnal Curassow
Aburria aburri compared with Nothocrax urumutum
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Wattled Guan | Nocturnal Curassow |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Aburria aburri | Nothocrax urumutum |
| Order | Galliformes | Galliformes |
| Family | Cracidae | Cracidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 67.4 cm (26.5 in) | 56.1 cm (22.1 in) |
| Weight | 1398.3333333333333 g (49.32 oz) | 1368.0 g (48.25 oz) |
| Diet | Frugivorous; eats fruits, berries, and leaves in Andean cloud forests of Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, and … | Frugivorous; eats fruits, seeds, and small invertebrates in Amazonian lowland forests. Nocturnal; rarely observed foraging. |
| Clutch Size | -- | 1-2 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Wattled Guan
Emits a loud, resonant, booming honk and wing-whirring display. The deep, carrying boom echoes through Andean cloud forest; wing-whirring display is powerful and conspicuous.
Nocturnal Curassow
Produces a loud, far-carrying booming call at night; calls are resonant and owl-like. This nocturnal curassow's deep, resonant booming is heard after dark in western Amazonian forest.
Geographic Range & Migration
Wattled Guan
Resident in the Andes from Venezuela and Colombia south to Bolivia at 500-2,200 m. Found in humid montane forest.
Nocturnal Curassow
Resident in the western Amazon Basin in Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru, and Brazil. Found in lowland terra firme rainforest.
Conservation Status
Wattled Guan
Nocturnal Curassow
How to Tell Them Apart
Wattled Guan
Uniformly glossy greenish-black; prominent pendulous yellow-and-blue bare throat wattle; no white wing patches or streaking; legs dark grey. Striking yellow wattle is the sole bold adornment.
Nocturnal Curassow
Chestnut-brown above with blackish scaling; head and neck dark with small black crest tipped rufous; face bare red-orange; underparts pale buff barred chestnut; tail chestnut broadly banded black.
About These Birds
Wattled Guan
A large cracid (~1.4 kg) of family Cracidae, all-black with a distinctive yellow and blue wattle hanging from the throat. Inhabits montane cloud forests of the Andes from Venezuela and Colombia south to Peru, at 500–2,500 m elevation. Arboreal, feeding on fruits and seeds. Least Concern; inhabits remote Andean cloud forests where it remains relatively undisturbed.
Nocturnal Curassow
A medium-large cracid (~1.4 kg) of family Cracidae, the only curassow known for crepuscular and nocturnal activity. Has reddish-brown barred plumage and a small crest. Inhabits humid lowland rainforest in the western Amazon basin in Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Brazil. Feeds on fruits and invertebrates. Least Concern; secretive behavior and dense forest habitat provide natural protection.