The white-winged guan is a bird in the chachalaca, guan and curassow family Cracidae. It is endemic to northwestern Peru.
Region
Tumbesian region (northwestern Peru)
Typical Environment
Occupies seasonally dry deciduous and semi-deciduous forests, thorny scrub, and steep ravines with tall trees. Prefers mosaic landscapes with remnant forest patches, wooded valleys, and areas near watercourses. Often uses mid to upper canopy for foraging and roosting, descending to lower strata to feed when fruit is abundant. It persists in some protected areas and community reserves where hunting pressure is lower.
Altitude Range
300–1450 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 2/5
Once thought extinct, the white-winged guan was rediscovered in 1977 in northwestern Peru. It plays a key role as a seed disperser in Tumbesian dry forests. The bold white wing patch is striking in flight and helps with identification even at a distance. Conservation programs include habitat protection and reintroductions at sites like Chaparrí Ecological Reserve.
White-winged Guan
White-winged Guan showing its wings
Temperament
wary and shy
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats followed by glides
Social Behavior
Typically found in pairs or small family groups, sometimes up to half a dozen birds. Roosts communally in tall trees on steep slopes for safety. Breeds during the wetter months; nests are platform-like structures placed in trees and both parents guard the site.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Vocalizations include low, booming calls and harsh grunts, especially at dawn. Males perform display flights and wing-whirring sounds that carry across the valley.
Plumage
Mostly dark, dusky-brown to blackish plumage with a prominent patch of white on the outer wing coverts; tail often shows a pale or whitish tip. Slight crest on the head; overall sleek, long-tailed guan profile.
Diet
Primarily frugivorous, taking a wide variety of native fruits and berries and dispersing seeds over long distances. Also consumes young leaves, flowers, and occasional seeds. Foraging tends to follow seasonal fruiting, with birds moving among fruiting trees and forest edges.
Preferred Environment
Feeds mostly in the mid to upper canopy of dry forest and along riparian corridors. Frequently visits forest edges, clearings, and secondary growth where fruiting shrubs and trees are abundant.
