The nocturnal curassow is a species of bird in the family Cracidae, the chachalacas, guans, and curassows. It is found in Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela.
Region
Amazon Basin
Typical Environment
Occurs in lowland tropical rainforest of Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela, especially in extensive, undisturbed tracts. It favors riverine forests and seasonally flooded habitats such as várzea and igapó, but also uses adjacent terra firme. Birds roost in the mid to upper canopy and descend to the understory or forest floor to feed. Most records come from remote areas with minimal human disturbance. It is rarely found in highly fragmented or heavily logged forests.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 500 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
The nocturnal curassow is the only truly nocturnal member of the cracid family and belongs to the monotypic genus Nothocrax. It is most often detected by its deep, booming calls at night rather than by sight. The species roosts high in trees and is notably shy, inhabiting remote lowland Amazonian forests. Indigenous names and folklore across the Amazon reference its distinctive night-time voice.
Temperament
shy and elusive
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats
Social Behavior
Typically encountered singly or in pairs. Like other cracids, it likely forms long-term pair bonds and nests above ground, placing a simple platform nest in trees. Clutch size is small and parental care is shared.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
A series of deep, resonant booming hoots delivered mostly after dusk and before dawn, carrying far through the forest. Calls are measured and repetitive, often accelerating slightly and used for territory advertisement and pair contact.
Plumage
Mostly dark, sooty-brown to blackish plumage with a soft, even texture; tail often shows subtle, diffuse barring. Feathers lack strong gloss and patterning, giving it a uniform appearance in low light.
Diet
Primarily consumes fallen and low-hanging fruits and seeds from a variety of Amazonian trees and palms. It supplements its diet with small invertebrates such as beetles and other arthropods. Foraging is mostly on the forest floor and lower understory, where it quietly picks items from leaf litter.
Preferred Environment
Dense lowland rainforest, especially along river margins, oxbow lakes, and seasonally flooded forests with abundant fruiting trees. It keeps to shaded, secluded areas and avoids open or heavily disturbed sites.
