Salvin's Curassow vs Band-tailed Guan
Mitu salvini compared with Penelope argyrotis
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Salvin's Curassow | Band-tailed Guan |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Mitu salvini | Penelope argyrotis |
| Order | Galliformes | Galliformes |
| Family | Cracidae | Cracidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 73.3 cm (28.9 in) | 52.8 cm (20.8 in) |
| Weight | 3550.0 g (125.22 oz) | 798.0 g (28.15 oz) |
| Diet | Frugivorous; eats fruits, seeds, and small invertebrates on the ground and in the lower canopy … | Frugivorous; eats fruits, berries, leaves, flowers, and buds in Andean forests of Venezuela and Colombia. … |
| Clutch Size | 2 | -- |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Salvin's Curassow
Produces a deep, resonant booming call. Calls carry through Colombian and Ecuadorian Amazonian forest; the deep boom is the standard territorial call of the Mitu curassow genus.
Band-tailed Guan
Produces a loud, honking cackle and resonant wing-whirring in display flights. The deep, carrying honk and wing-whirr display is characteristic of this Andean Penelope guan.
Geographic Range & Migration
Salvin's Curassow
Resident in the Amazon Basin of Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Brazil. Found in lowland and foothill rainforest along rivers.
Band-tailed Guan
Resident in the Andes and mountains of Colombia and Venezuela from 1,000-2,400 m. Found in humid montane forest.
Conservation Status
Salvin's Curassow
Band-tailed Guan
How to Tell Them Apart
Salvin's Curassow
Glossy black overall; lower belly and vent white; large compressed red bill with pale yellow tip; no crest or knob. Virtually identical to Crestless Curassow; white lower belly and red …
Band-tailed Guan
Brownish-black above with fine white streaking on neck and chest; bare red facial skin; lower underparts chestnut; tail broad with distinctive pale grey subterminal band.
About These Birds
Salvin's Curassow
A large cracid (~3.6 kg) of family Cracidae, with glossy black plumage and a swollen red bill. Inhabits lowland tropical forests east of the Andes in Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and northwestern Brazil. Forages primarily on the forest floor and in low vegetation for fallen fruits and seeds. Least Concern; range covers extensive Amazonian forest but is vulnerable to local hunting pressure.
Band-tailed Guan
A medium-sized cracid (~800 g) of family Cracidae, with a distinctive pale-tipped tail band. Inhabits montane humid forests in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta and Andes of Colombia and Venezuela. Arboreal, feeding on fruits, seeds, and buds in the canopy. Least Concern; restricted to Andean cloud forest but common within its range and tolerates some forest disturbance.