Spix's guan (''Penelope jacquacu'') is a species of bird in the family
Cracidae
The chachalacas, guans and curassows are birds in the family Cracidae. These are species of tropical and subtropical Central and South America. The range of one species, the plain chachalaca, just reaches southernmost parts of Texas in the Unite ...
. It is "the prototypical cracid of the Amazonian lowlands."
[del Hoyo, J. and G. M. Kirwan (2020). Spix's Guan (''Penelope jacquacu''), version 1.0. In Birds of the World (J. del Hoyo, A. Elliott, J. Sargatal, D. A. Christie, and E. de Juana, Editors). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.spigua1.01] The common name commemorates the German naturalist
Johann Baptist von Spix
Johann Baptist Ritter von Spix (9 February 1781 – 13 March 1826) was a German biologist. From his expedition to Brazil, he brought to Germany a large variety of specimens of plants, insects, mammals, birds, amphibians and fish. They constitute ...
(1782-1826).
Taxonomy and systematics
Four subspecies of Spix's guan are recognized, "Grant's" guan (''P. j. granti'') and the "Spix's guan" group of ''P. j. jacquacu'', ''P. j. orienticola'', and ''P. j. speciosa''.
[ It was at times considered conspecific with ]dusky-legged guan
The dusky-legged guan (''Penelope obscura'') is a species of bird in the family Cracidae, the chachalacas, guans, and curassows. It is found in Uruguay, northeastern Argentina and southernmost areas of Paraguay and Brazil. In early 2021, the form ...
(''P. obscura'') or crested guan
The crested guan (''Penelope purpurascens'') is a member of an ancient group of birds of the family Cracidae, which are related to the Australasian megapodes or mound builders (Megapodiidae). It is found in the Neotropics, in lowlands forest ...
(''P. purpurascens''). ''P. j. speciosa'' was once considered a race of dusky-legged guan, and "Grant's guan" was formerly considered a separate species.[Remsen, J. V., Jr., J. I. Areta, E. Bonaccorso, S. Claramunt, A. Jaramillo, D. F. Lane, J. F. Pacheco, M. B. Robbins, F. G. Stiles, and K. J. Zimmer. Version 19 January 2021. A classification of the bird species of South America. American Ornithological Society. http://www.museum.lsu.edu/~Remsen/SACCBaseline.htm retrieved January 19, 2021]
Description
The four subspecies of Spix's guan differ in weight and plumage, and there are intergrades between them. Their length is . The male and female nominate ''P. j. jacquacu'' weigh and respectively. The male ''P. j. orienticola'' weighs and the female . The nominate subspecies is bronzy olive green above and bright reddish below. "Grant's" is much darker; the upper parts have a blue-green gloss and the red underside is dark. ''P. j. speciosa''s plumage is similar to that of the nominate subspecies and ''P. j. orienticolas size and color scheme are between those of the nominate and "Grant's".[
]
Distribution and habitat
Spix's guan is found in the upper Orinoco River
The Orinoco () is one of the longest rivers in South America at . Its drainage basin, sometimes known as the Orinoquia, covers , with 76.3 percent of it in Venezuela and the remainder in Colombia. It is the fourth largest river in the wo ...
and western Amazon River basins of Bolivia
, image_flag = Bandera de Bolivia (Estado).svg
, flag_alt = Horizontal tricolor (red, yellow, and green from top to bottom) with the coat of arms of Bolivia in the center
, flag_alt2 = 7 × 7 square p ...
, Brazil
Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (Portuguese: ), is the largest country in both South America and Latin America. At and with over 217 million people, Brazil is the world's fifth-largest country by area ...
, Colombia, Ecuador
Ecuador ( ; ; Quechuan languages, Quechua: ''Ikwayur''; Shuar language, Shuar: ''Ecuador'' or ''Ekuatur''), officially the Republic of Ecuador ( es, República del Ecuador, which literally translates as "Republic of the Equator"; Quechuan ...
, Guyana, Peru
, image_flag = Flag of Peru.svg
, image_coat = Escudo nacional del Perú.svg
, other_symbol = Great Seal of the State
, other_symbol_type = Seal (emblem), National seal
, national_motto = "Fi ...
, Suriname
Suriname (; srn, Sranankondre or ), officially the Republic of Suriname ( nl, Republiek Suriname , srn, Ripolik fu Sranan), is a country on the northeastern Atlantic coast of South America. It is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the north ...
, and Venezuela
Venezuela (; ), officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela ( es, link=no, República Bolivariana de Venezuela), is a country on the northern coast of South America, consisting of a continental landmass and many islands and islets in ...
. From north to south the subspecies sequence is ''granti'', ''orienticola'', ''jacquacu'', and ''speciosa''.[ It inhabits both ''terra firma'' and várzea (seasonally flooded) forest. In the upper elevations of Peru and Bolivia it is in ]cloud forest
A cloud forest, also called a water forest, primas forest, or tropical montane cloud forest (TMCF), is a generally tropical or subtropical, evergreen, montane, moist forest characterized by a persistent, frequent or seasonal low-level cloud ...
and at lower elevations it is in humid rainforest
Rainforests are characterized by a closed and continuous tree canopy, moisture-dependent vegetation, the presence of epiphytes and lianas and the absence of wildfire. Rainforest can be classified as tropical rainforest or temperate rainfo ...
. The species is assumed to be sedentary.[
]
Behavior and ecology
Breeding
The timing of Spix's guan's breeding varies geographically; examples include from January to May in Venezuela and August and September in Peru. The one nest that has been described was made of leaves and placed about up in a tree. The incubation and fledging periods are not known.[
]
Diet and feeding
Spix's guan forages singly or in small family groups, mostly from the middle to the tops of trees but in some regions on the ground. Its diet is mainly fruits and seeds though it has also been reported to follow army ants to take arthropods.[
]
Status
The IUCN has rated Spix's guan as being of Least Concern. Its estimated global range spans approximately 5.9 million km² (2.3 million mi²) and it is common in at least parts of this range. However, the total population is unknown and is thought to be decreasing. The species is widely hunted for food.
References
{{Taxonbar, from=Q948701
Spix's guan
Birds of the Amazon Basin
Spix's guan
Taxonomy articles created by Polbot