Chordates • Earth.com

Crested guan

(Penelope purpurascens)

galery

Description

This is a large gamebird,with a length varying from 84 to 91.5 cm (33.1 to 36.0 in).These birds commonly weigh around 1,750 g (3.9 lb),though can weigh as little as 1,361 g (3.0 lb) in P.p.brunnescens,the smallest race on average.Among standard measurements,the wing chord is 33 to 42.8 cm (13.0 to 16.9 in),the tail is 34 to 41.5 cm (13.4 to 16.3 in) and the tarsus is 7.4 to 9.1 cm (2.9 to 3.6 in).It is similar in general appearance to a turkey,with a small head,long strong red legs,and a long broad tail.It is mainly dark brown,with white spotting on the neck and breast.The rump and belly are rufous.The head sports a bushy crest,from which the species gets its name,blue-grey bare skin around the eye,and a bare red dewlap or wattle.The sexes are similar,but young birds have black vermiculations and ochre specks on the body plumage.The crested guan is a noisy bird with a loud plee or quonk call,a whistled contact call and a powerful keLEEEErrrr! dawn song.

Taxonomic tree:

Domain:
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum:
Class: Aves
Order:Galliformes
Family:Cracidae
Genus:Penelope
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