Spix's guan

Spix's guan is a species of bird in the family Cracidae. It is "the prototypical cracid of the Amazonian lowlands." The common name commemorates the German naturalist Johann Baptist von Spix (1782-1826).

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Distribution

Region

Amazon Basin

Typical Environment

Occurs widely in lowland rainforests of the western and central Amazon, including Brazil, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, and Bolivia. It uses both terra firme and seasonally flooded (várzea) forests, and often forages along forest edges and in secondary growth. Spix's guan tolerates moderately disturbed habitats if fruiting trees remain available. It roosts in trees and spends most time in the midstory to canopy, occasionally descending to the ground to feed.

Altitude Range

Sea level to 1200 m

Climate Zone

Tropical

Characteristics

Size65–75 cm

Wing Span90–110 cm

Male Weight1.6 kg

Female Weight1.4 kg

Life Expectancy12 years

Ease of Keeping

Beginner friendly: 2/5

Useful to know

A prototypical cracid of the Amazonian lowlands, Spix's guan is an important seed disperser that helps regenerate tropical forests. The species is named for the German naturalist Johann Baptist von Spix. At dawn it often performs display flights with loud wing-whirring, and its deep booming calls carry far through the forest.

Gallery

Behaviour

Temperament

wary and shy

Flight Pattern

short rapid wingbeats with glides

Social Behavior

Usually seen singly, in pairs, or small family groups moving quietly through the canopy. Nests are placed in trees, and the clutch is small; both adults attend the brood after hatching. Displays include wing-whirring and posturing from elevated perches during early morning.

Migratory Pattern

Resident

Song Description

Vocalizations are deep, resonant booms and low clucks that carry through dense forest. During displays, non-vocal wing-whirring adds a loud mechanical sound, especially at dawn.

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Identification

Comb Type

Plumage Description

Feather Color

Leg Color

Earlobe Color

Eye Color

Feeding Habits

Diet

Preferred Environment

Requires Supplement

Population

Conservation Status

Species Status

Wild Population

Total Known Population

Spix's macaw

Spix's macaw, also known as the little blue macaw, or just blue macaw, is a macaw species that was endemic to Brazil. It is a member of tribe Arini in the subfamily Arinae, part of the family Psittacidae. It was first described by German naturalist Georg Marcgrave, when he was working in the State of Pernambuco, Brazil in 1638 and it is named for German naturalist Johann Baptist von Spix, who collected a specimen in 1819 on the bank of the Rio São Francisco in northeast Bahia in Brazil. This bird has been completely extirpated from its natural range, and following a several-year survey, the IUCN officially declared it extinct in the wild in 2019. However, after over 20 years of conservation efforts, 200 macaws have been bred from just two parent birds, and 52 individual birds have since been reintroduced into their natural environment in June 2022.

Splendid fairywren

The splendid fairywren is a passerine bird in the Australasian wren family, Maluridae. It is also known simply as the splendid wren or more colloquially in Western Australia as the blue wren. The splendid fairywren is found across much of the Australian continent from central-western New South Wales and southwestern Queensland over to coastal Western Australia. It inhabits predominantly arid and semi-arid regions. Exhibiting a high degree of sexual dimorphism, the male in breeding plumage is a small, long-tailed bird of predominantly bright blue and black colouration. Non-breeding males, females and juveniles are predominantly grey-brown in colour; this gave the early impression that males were polygamous as all dull-coloured birds were taken for females. It comprises several similar all-blue and black subspecies that were originally considered separate species.