Dusky-legged Guan
Penelope obscura
During the breeding season, males perform a 'wing-drumming' display where they produce a loud mechanical whirring sound by vibrating their wings during short flights.
- Scientific name
- Penelope obscura
- Taxonomy
- Animalia › Chordata › Aves › Galliformes › Cracidae › Penelope
- IUCN Red List status
- Least Concern
- Population trend
- decreasing
- Biome
- forest
- Habitat
- Subtropical and tropical moist lowland and montane forests, often near water or gallery forests.
- Diet
- Frugivorous; primarily eats fruits, seeds, and flowers, occasionally supplementing with insects or leaves.
- Range
- Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay
- Size
- 68-75 cm in length; weight approximately 900-1200 grams.
- Lifespan
- 15-20 years
- Active
- diurnal
- Threats
- Habitat loss due to deforestation, fragmentation of the Atlantic Forest, and localized hunting.
- Safe to approach?
- Harmless and generally shy. Observe from a distance to avoid startling them into flight. Do not offer human food, as it disrupts their natural diet and seed-dispersal role. If an individual appears habituated in a park setting, maintain a respectful gap of at least 5 meters.
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; a narrow disjunct range is in northern Argentina extending into south-central Bolivia.
Photo: Dario Sanches, CC-BY-SA, via iNaturalist
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