Razor-billed Curassow vs Band-tailed Guan
Mitu tuberosum compared with Penelope argyrotis
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Razor-billed Curassow | Band-tailed Guan |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Mitu tuberosum | Penelope argyrotis |
| Order | Galliformes | Galliformes |
| Family | Cracidae | Cracidae |
| Conservation Status | Near Threatened | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 77.1 cm (30.4 in) | 52.8 cm (20.8 in) |
| Weight | 2893.3333333333335 g (102.06 oz) | 798.0 g (28.15 oz) |
| Diet | Eats fruits, palm fruits, seeds, and invertebrates in Amazonian lowland forests. Forages mainly on ground … | Frugivorous; eats fruits, berries, leaves, flowers, and buds in Andean forests of Venezuela and Colombia. … |
| Clutch Size | 2-3 | -- |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Razor-billed Curassow
Emits a deep, resonant booming call; male's boom is among the most powerful of any cracid. The thundering boom echoes far through western Amazonian terra firme forest at dawn.
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
Razor-billed Curassow
Resident across much of the Amazon Basin from Colombia and Venezuela south to Bolivia and Brazil. Found in lowland and várzea rainforest.
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
Razor-billed Curassow
Band-tailed Guan
How to Tell Them Apart
Razor-billed Curassow
Glossy blue-black overall; white lower belly and undertail coverts; distinctive laterally compressed blade-like red bill with small red knob at base; no crest; legs 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
Razor-billed Curassow
A large cracid (~2.9 kg) of family Cracidae, named for its laterally compressed, razor-like red bill. Inhabits lowland Amazonian rainforest in central and eastern Brazil, Bolivia, and Peru. Forages on the forest floor and in the canopy for hard seeds and fruits. Near Threatened due to intensive hunting for food and sport throughout the Amazon basin.
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.