Black-fronted piping-guan

Pipile jacutinga

Photo by Haroldo Palo (Animais em Extinção)

Common name:

black-fronted piping-guan (en); jacutinga (pt); pénélope à front noir (fr); yacutinga (es); schwarzmaskenguan (de)

Taxonomy:

Order Galliformes

Family Cracidae

Range:

The black-fronted piping-guan is endemic to the Atlantic forest of south-east Brazil, north-east Argentina and south-east Paraguay.

Size:

They are 63-74 cm long and weigh 1,1-1,4 kg.

Habitat:

These birds are found in primary or selectively logged humid forests, being strongly associated with the forest palm Euterpe edulis. They are usually found in lowland areas, but may be present in coastal mountains up to an altitude of 900 m.

Diet:

The black-fronted piping-guan is mostly frugivorous, eating the fruits of forest palm Euterpe edulis, but also from figs Ficus, araçazeiros Psidium, bicuiba Virola, pindaúba Xylopia, and guarumo Cecropia. They also eat insects and molluscs where possible, as well as seeds, grains and buds.

Breeding:

These birds breed in August-January. Each pair builds a platform-like nest of twigs in a tree-fork, where the female lays 2-4 white eggs. The eggs are incubated for 28 days and the chicks fledge 30 days after hatching.

Conservation:

IUCN status - EN (Endangered)

The black-fronted piping-guan has a relatively small breeding range and a global population estimated at 2.500-10.000 individuals. The population is believed to be facing a very rapid decline owing to very high levels of hunting combined with the effects of habitat loss and degradation.