Andean Guan vs Trinidad Piping-guan
Penelope montagnii compared with Pipile pipile
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Andean Guan | Trinidad Piping-guan |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Penelope montagnii | Pipile pipile |
| Order | Galliformes | Galliformes |
| Family | Cracidae | Cracidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Critically Endangered |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 48.3 cm (19.0 in) | 66.2 cm (26.1 in) |
| Weight | 650.0 g (22.93 oz) | 2150.0 g (75.84 oz) |
| Diet | Eats fruits, berries, leaves, flowers, and buds in Andean cloud forests. Forages at all levels … | Frugivorous; eats fruits, berries, seeds, and leaves in Trinidadian forests. Critically endangered; forages in canopy. |
| Clutch Size | 2 | 2 |
| 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.
Trinidad Piping-guan
Produces loud, resonant piping calls and strong wing-whirring displays. Critically endangered; calls carry through remnant Trinidad rainforest; the loudest vocalizations of any Pipile piping-guan.
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.
Trinidad Piping-guan
Endemic to the island of Trinidad (not Tobago). Found in lowland rainforest remnants. Critically endangered.
Conservation Status
Andean Guan
Trinidad 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.
Trinidad Piping-guan
Glossy black overall; large white wing patches; bare blue facial skin and pendulous blue-and-white wattle; white crest; white streaking on neck. Spectacular ornamental facial features.
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.
Trinidad Piping-guan
A large cracid (~2.2 kg) of family Cracidae, with bold white wing patches and a blue-and-white facial wattle. Endemic to the island of Trinidad; the only Pipile species in the Caribbean. Inhabits primary and mature secondary rainforest. Feeds on fruits and seeds in the canopy. Critically Endangered; one of the world's rarest birds, with fewer than 200 individuals surviving.