Bird Album
Crested Guan
Penelope purpurascens Wagler, 1830
76–92 cmLength2.1 kgWeight
The crested guan (Penelope purpurascens) is a Near Threatened species in an ancient group of birds of the family Cracidae, which are related to the Australasian megapodes or mound builders (Megapodiidae).
Busiest months: February–March · Most records: Costa Rica, Ecuador, Belize
Where and when it's recorded
Crested Guan has been recorded at 248 of the 8,171 birding hotspots we track, in 11 countries and regions.
Records by month Northern Hemisphere
Where it's recorded most
- Arenal Observatory LodgeCosta Rica12,781 records
- Estación Biológica La Selva-OTSCosta Rica8,768 records
- Curi-Cancha Refugio de Vida SilvestreCosta Rica3,812 records
More places
- Wilson Botanical GardenCosta Rica2,919 records
- Rancho NaturalistaCosta Rica2,753 records
- Arenal MisticoparkCosta Rica2,354 records
- Chan Chich LodgeBelize2,118 records
- Refugio Paz de las AvesEcuador1,560 records
- Esquinas Rainforest LodgeCosta Rica1,255 records
- Arenal – Peninsula roadCosta Rica1,127 records
Countries and regions with the most records
eBird records via GBIF up to 2024-12-31. A record means someone listed it; more records partly mean more birders, not more birds.
About
The crested guan (Penelope purpurascens) is a Near Threatened species in an ancient group of birds of the family Cracidae, which are related to the Australasian megapodes or mound builders (Megapodiidae). It is found from central Mexico through Central America and in Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela.
Excerpt from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 · authors · Read more on Wikipedia
Questions
How big is the Crested Guan?
The Crested Guan is about 76–92 cm long and weighs around 2.1 kg.
Where does the Crested Guan live?
Its breeding range: Middle America, South America: Mexico to northwestern South America. It is most often recorded in Costa Rica, Ecuador and Belize.
When is the best time to see the Crested Guan?
At the hotspots we track, it is recorded most in February and March (Northern Hemisphere).
Is the Crested Guan endangered?
The IUCN Red List classifies the Crested Guan as Near Threatened.
What does the Crested Guan eat?
Main food: Fruit.
What family is the Crested Guan in?
It belongs to the family Chachalacas, Curassows, Guans (Cracidae), order Galliformes.
At a glance
- Length
- 76–92 cm
- Weight
- 2.1 kg
- Habitat
- Forest
- Diet
- Fruit
- Lifestyle
- Perches in trees
- Migration
- Resident (barely migrates)
- Conservation
- Near Threatened
More measurements
- Wing
- 380 mm
- Tail
- 369 mm
- Bill
- 46 mm
- Tarsus
- 84 mm
Averages from the AVONET dataset; length from field guides where available.
Range
Middle America, South America: Mexico to northwestern South America
Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2
Classification
- Order
- Galliformes
- Family
- Chachalacas, Curassows, Guans Cracidae
- Genus
- Penelope
Other birds in the genus Penelope
Band-tailed GuanPenelope argyrotis
Bearded GuanPenelope barbata
Baudo GuanPenelope ortoni
Andean GuanPenelope montagnii
Marail GuanPenelope marail
Rusty-margined GuanPenelope superciliaris
Red-faced GuanPenelope dabbenei
Cauca GuanPenelope perspicax
White-winged GuanPenelope albipennis
Spix's GuanPenelope jacquacu
Dusky-legged GuanPenelope obscura
Yungas GuanPenelope bridgesi
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Free to use with credit: “Illustration: Bird Album (birdalbum.com)”. Drawn by AI from a reference photo by Jessica Helmbold. ↗
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