How many birds are on the threatened list, because they are hunted and have habitat loss? Well, the Chamaepetes unicolor or by its common name the Black Guan is about to make that list soon if us humans don’t stop right now.

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The Black Guan is 64 cm. Its got a short tailed glossy black cracid. Its also got a black overall glossy black sootier below and a bare blue facial skin with red iris. Its legs are red. The Black Guan is more of a silent bird, but during breeding season they give out a low soft piping call at dawn. Right now the Black Guan is on the NT list or the near threatened list.

This amazing bird lives throughout the highlands of Costa Rica and west Panama. They are common in Monteverdi Cloud Forest Preserve, Costa Rica and La Amistad International Park where they are protected. They inhabitant cloud forest, preferring steep terrains with ridges and ravines.

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The Black Guan diet mainly consist of fruit. However it will eat insects and mollusks where possible, as well as seeds, grains, and buds. In some areas, the vast majority of its diet comes from the fruit of the palmito and figs. It is also known to ingest mud as a means of taking in salt. They feed alone, pairs, or small groups. Their predators are actually….humans! Humans hunt these beautiful birds for food. They are also causing the Black Guan habitat lost.

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Some interesting things about this bird they don’t do anything with others until breeding season. I hope you learned a lot about this bird from this I hope when you read this they will still be in the wild.

 

Author: Noah L.

Posted: 2/2014

 

Sources:

Author(s) Unknown. “The Cornell Lab of Ornithology Neotropical Birds”

http://neotropical.birds.cornell.edu/portal/species/overview?p_p_spp=80071

Author(s) Unknown. “BirdLife International”