White-winged guan facts for kids
Quick facts for kids White-winged guan |
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Penelope
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| Species: |
albipennis
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The white-winged guan (Penelope albipennis) is a special type of bird that lives only in northwestern Peru. It belongs to a bird family called Cracidae, which includes chachalacas, guans, and curassows. This bird is quite rare and has a unique white patch on its wings.
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History of the White-winged Guan
For a long time, people thought the white-winged guan had disappeared. It was first found in 1876 and 1877, but then nobody saw it for many years. In 1977, it was finally seen again! After that, scientists started finding more of these birds in different places, but always in a small part of Peru.
About the White-winged Guan
What the Guan Looks Like
The white-winged guan is a fairly large bird, about 85.2 cm (2.8 ft) long. It weighs around 1.6 kg (3.5 lb), which is about the same as a small dog. Its feathers are mostly blackish-brown and look a bit shiny, with a green glow.
Many parts of its front body have short, light gray or whitish stripes. The most special part is its white wing feathers, which look like a bright slash when its wings are folded. The guan has reddish eyes surrounded by bare purple skin. Its beak is dark gray with a black tip, and it has an orange flap of skin under its chin called a dewlap.
Where the Guan Lives
Today, the white-winged guan is found only in three areas in northwestern Peru: Lambayeque, Cajamarca, and Piura. The area where they live is quite small, about 190 km (120 mi) long and 40 km (25 mi) wide. This area is even split by a main road and towns.
These birds live in a very specific type of place: small, forested valleys and hillsides on the west side of the Andes mountains. They usually live at heights between 500 and 1,100 m (1,600 and 3,600 ft) above sea level. Sometimes, they can be found as low as 300 m (980 ft) or as high as 1,385 m (4,540 ft).
Behavior of the White-winged Guan
Daily Movements
White-winged guans usually start making sounds before the sun comes up. When it gets light, they fly from their overnight resting spots to find food until about 9:00 AM. They then stay mostly still until late afternoon. In the evening, they typically eat again before finding a place to sleep for the night.
What the Guan Eats
White-winged guans are often seen in pairs or small family groups. Sometimes, several groups will gather to eat from the same fruit tree. They enjoy eating fruits, flowers, leaves, and seeds. Fruits from Ficus trees (like figs) and Cordia lutea plants are very important to their diet because they are available almost all year.
Reproduction and Life Cycle
White-winged guans are territorial, meaning they protect their living space. Mated pairs stay together for many years. Their breeding season is from November to May. This time of year has plenty of food because it's the rainy season.
They build their nests from twigs and leaves in trees that are covered in vines. These nests are usually about 2.5 m (8 ft) above the ground. A female guan usually lays two eggs, but sometimes she might lay one or three.
Guan Sounds and Calls
The white-winged guan makes three main types of sounds, which they sometimes mix together. They are most vocal during the breeding season, especially at dawn and dusk.
- Their territorial call sounds like "jar-jar-jar" ending with a quick "ha-ha-ha-ha." The male usually makes this sound to mark his territory.
- The alarm call sounds like "piu-piu-piu" or "cau-cau-cau." Both male and female guans can make this call together if they sense danger.
- The threat call is an "arrr, arrr, arrr" sound. They use this when directly challenging another guan that enters their space.
Besides vocal sounds, guans also make a non-vocal sound by drumming their wings at dawn. This sound can be heard from far away.
Status of the White-winged Guan
The IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) has listed the white-winged guan as an Endangered species. This is an improvement from 2018, when it was considered Critically Endangered. There are about 200 adult birds left, and their population seems to be stable.
Several special wildlife refuges have been created to protect these birds. Efforts to reintroduce them have also helped increase their numbers in the six to ten places where they currently live. However, the destruction of their natural home and hunting are still big threats to the white-winged guan.
See also
In Spanish: Pava aliblanca para niños
