Red-throated piping guan

Appearance

The red-throated piping guan is 69 to 76 cm long; "P. c. nattereri" weighs 1,100 to 1,300 g. Both subspecies are black overall with black-and-white patches on the wings, a shaggy white crest, white speckles on the breast, bare pale blue skin on the face, and a red gular patch. The nominate subspecies is glossier than "P. c. nattereri", with a blue sheen, and the white wing patches are smaller.

Distribution

The nominate subspecies of red-throated piping guan is found in north-central Brazil south of the Amazon River from the lower reaches of the Madeira River east into northern Pará state. "P. c. nattereri" is found in western Amazonian Brazil in an area roughly bounded by the states of Pará, Goiás, Amazonas, and Rondônia and also in the eastern part of Bolivia's Santa Cruz department. They inhabit tropical and semi-deciduous forests in lowlands up to 700 m. They prefer forests with a minimum height of 15 m.

Status

The IUCN has assessed the red-throated piping guan as being Vulnerable. It is considered fairly common to common in much of its large range, but hunting and deforestation are threats.

Habitat

The nominate subspecies of red-throated piping guan is found in north-central Brazil south of the Amazon River from the lower reaches of the Madeira River east into northern Pará state. "P. c. nattereri" is found in western Amazonian Brazil in an area roughly bounded by the states of Pará, Goiás, Amazonas, and Rondônia and also in the eastern part of Bolivia's Santa Cruz department. They inhabit tropical and semi-deciduous forests in lowlands up to 700 m. They prefer forests with a minimum height of 15 m.

Reproduction

Almost nothing is known about the red-throated piping guan's breeding phenology.

Food

The red-throated piping guan forages in flocks of up to about 30 birds and sometimes in mixed flocks with blue-throated piping guan, usually in the canopy but sometimes on the ground. The details of its diet have not been documented but it is known to feed on fruit and flowers.