Band-tailed Guan vs Black-fronted Piping-guan
Penelope argyrotis compared with Pipile jacutinga
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Band-tailed Guan | Black-fronted Piping-guan |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Penelope argyrotis | Pipile jacutinga |
| Order | Galliformes | Galliformes |
| Family | Cracidae | Cracidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Endangered |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 52.8 cm (20.8 in) | 68.0 cm (26.8 in) |
| Weight | 798.0 g (28.15 oz) | 1250.0 g (44.09 oz) |
| Diet | Frugivorous; eats fruits, berries, leaves, flowers, and buds in Andean forests of Venezuela and Colombia. … | Frugivorous; eats fruits especially palm fruits, seeds, and leaves in Brazilian Atlantic forest. Endangered; forages … |
| Clutch Size | -- | 2-4 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
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.
Black-fronted Piping-guan
Produces loud, piercing piping calls and strong wing-whirring displays. Endangered; calls carry through remnant Atlantic forest; the piping call is among the clearest of all cracids.
Geographic Range & Migration
Band-tailed Guan
Resident in the Andes and mountains of Colombia and Venezuela from 1,000-2,400 m. Found in humid montane forest.
Black-fronted Piping-guan
Resident in the Atlantic Forest of southeastern Brazil, Paraguay, and northeastern Argentina. Found in humid subtropical forest. Endangered.
Conservation Status
Band-tailed Guan
Black-fronted Piping-guan
How to Tell Them Apart
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.
Black-fronted Piping-guan
Glossy black; bold white wing patches; bare blue facial skin with red base to wattle; black forehead contrasting with white crest; neck and mantle spotted white. Distinctive blue-and-red wattle pattern.
About These Birds
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.
Black-fronted Piping-guan
A large cracid (~1.25 kg) of family Cracidae, with a black forehead, blue facial wattle, and white wing patches. Inhabits Atlantic Forest of southeastern Brazil, northeastern Argentina, and eastern Paraguay. Arboreal frugivore relying heavily on palmito palm fruits. Endangered due to severe Atlantic Forest deforestation, overhunting, and capture for the cage-bird trade.