Salvin's curassow is a species of bird in the family Cracidae, the chachalacas, guans, and curassows. It is found in Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru.
Region
Western Amazon Basin (Colombia, Ecuador, northern Peru)
Typical Environment
Inhabits lowland and foothill evergreen rainforest, favoring extensive tracts of undisturbed terra firme forest with dense understory. It also uses floodplain and river-edge forests, especially near fruiting trees. Birds often forage on the forest floor but will roost and move through lower to mid-levels. It avoids heavily fragmented or intensively hunted areas and retreats to remote forest interiors.
Altitude Range
200–1200 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 2/5
Salvin's curassow is a large, shy forest bird of the Andean foothills and western Amazon, where it plays an important role as a seed disperser for many tropical trees. It is heavily affected by hunting and habitat loss near settlements and along rivers, and is most reliable in remote, well-protected forests. Pairs keep close contact with deep, booming calls at dawn.
Temperament
shy and wary
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats with low, direct flights
Social Behavior
Usually found in pairs or small family groups, maintaining territories within large forest tracts. The species is thought to be monogamous, with pairs staying in contact by voice. Nests are built off the ground in dense vegetation, and the female incubates while the male stays nearby.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
A deep, resonant series of booming notes, often delivered at dawn and dusk and carrying far through the forest. Also gives low grunts and soft whistles during close contact between mates.
Plumage
Mostly glossy black with a subtle bluish sheen; the undertail coverts and tail tip are contrasting white. Feathers are sleek with a short, curly crest on the crown. Females can show warmer brownish tones and faint barring on the underparts.
Diet
Primarily feeds on fallen fruits and seeds, especially from palms and large-seeded canopy trees. It also takes buds, shoots, and occasionally insects or other small invertebrates. By swallowing fruits whole and moving long distances, it is an effective seed disperser for many rainforest plants.
Preferred Environment
Forages mostly on the forest floor and along fruiting trails beneath mature trees. Frequently visits river edges and natural clearings where fruit availability is high, but remains close to cover.
