Andean Guan vs Blue-throated Piping-guan
Penelope montagnii compared with Pipile cumanensis
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Andean Guan | Blue-throated Piping-guan |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Penelope montagnii | Pipile cumanensis |
| Order | Galliformes | Galliformes |
| Family | Cracidae | Cracidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 48.3 cm (19.0 in) | 66.9 cm (26.3 in) |
| Weight | 650.0 g (22.93 oz) | 1228.0 g (43.32 oz) |
| Diet | Eats fruits, berries, leaves, flowers, and buds in Andean cloud forests. Forages at all levels … | Eats fruits, berries, seeds, leaves, and flowers in Amazonian and Orinoco basin forests. Forages in … |
| Clutch Size | 2 | 1-3 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Andean Guan
Emits deep, resonant honking calls and loud wing-whirring display flights. Andean cloud forest echoes with both calls and wing-whirring at dawn across multiple Penelope guans.
Blue-throated Piping-guan
Emits loud, resonant piping calls and wing-whirring displays. The ringing, piping calls carry through Amazonian lowland forest; wing-whirr is powerful and audible from a distance.
Geographic Range & Migration
Andean Guan
Resident in the Andes from Venezuela and Colombia south to Bolivia at 1,500-3,600 m. Found in humid cloud forest and montane scrub.
Blue-throated Piping-guan
Resident in the Amazon Basin from Venezuela and Colombia south to Bolivia and Brazil. Found in lowland and foothill rainforest near rivers.
Conservation Status
Andean Guan
Blue-throated Piping-guan
How to Tell Them Apart
Andean Guan
Dark olive-brown above; bare red throat wattle; neck and breast streaked white on dark background; lower belly and flanks rufous-chestnut; tail dark with slight gloss.
Blue-throated Piping-guan
Glossy black; large white wing patch; bare bright blue throat skin and wattle; white forehead and crest; white flecking on neck and mantle. Blue throat skin distinguishes from White-throated Piping-guan.
About These Birds
Andean Guan
A medium-sized cracid (~650 g) of family Cracidae, with dull brown-olive plumage and a bare red throat wattle. Inhabits Andean cloud forests and forest edges from Venezuela south to Bolivia at elevations of 1,200–3,500 m. Feeds on fruits, seeds, and invertebrates. Least Concern; widespread in montane Andes and one of the more commonly encountered Penelope guans.
Blue-throated Piping-guan
A large cracid (~1.2 kg) of family Cracidae, with white wing markings and a bright blue throat wattle. Inhabits humid lowland and foothill forests across northern South America, from Colombia and Venezuela south through Amazonia to Bolivia. Arboreal, feeding on fruits and seeds. Least Concern; widespread in Amazonian forests with relatively stable populations in undisturbed areas.