Band-tailed Guan vs Marail Guan
Penelope argyrotis compared with Penelope marail
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Band-tailed Guan | Marail Guan |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Penelope argyrotis | Penelope marail |
| Order | Galliformes | Galliformes |
| Family | Cracidae | Cracidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 52.8 cm (20.8 in) | 64.3 cm (25.3 in) |
| Weight | 798.0 g (28.15 oz) | 1067.0 g (37.64 oz) |
| Diet | Frugivorous; eats fruits, berries, leaves, flowers, and buds in Andean forests of Venezuela and Colombia. … | Frugivorous; eats fruits, berries, seeds, and leaves in Amazonian and Guianan lowland rainforests. Also takes … |
| Clutch Size | -- | 2-3 |
| 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.
Marail Guan
Produces a loud, resonant honking cackle; wing-whirring display is loud and sustained. The carrying honk and powerful wing-whirr echo through Amazonian and Guyanan terra firme forest.
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.
Marail Guan
Resident in the Guiana Highlands and adjacent areas of Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname, and northern Brazil. Found in montane and foothill forest.
Conservation Status
Band-tailed Guan
Marail 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.
Marail Guan
Dark brownish-olive overall; neck and upper breast streaked white; bare red throat wattle; lower underparts rich rufous-chestnut; back with greenish gloss; tail long and dark brown.
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.
Marail Guan
A medium-large cracid (~1.1 kg) of family Cracidae, with olive-brown plumage and a red wattle. Inhabits humid lowland and foothill tropical forests of the Guiana Shield, including Suriname, Guyana, French Guiana, and northern Brazil. Arboreal, feeding on fruits and seeds. Least Concern; widespread in the Guiana region with intact forest cover supporting healthy populations.