Birds of Bolivia - Penelope

Genus Penelope, Guans, are gamebirds in the Cracidae family are are larger than Chachalacas (in the range of 60 to 75 cm.). Guans are usually solitary or seen in family groups, unlike Chachalacas that form larger groups. And like most fowl consume both fruit and insects.

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Yungas Guan (Penelope bridgesi)

Split from the Dusky-legged Guan of the Atlantic rainforest. Compare to Red-faced Guan.


Red-faced Guan (Penelope dabbenei) Lagunas de Yala, Yala, Argentina
Photograph by Tom Friedel © All Rights Reserved.

Very similar to the Dusky-legged Guan, now called Yungas Guan also found in the same forests. Face color is the most reliable way to differntiate the two species.


Spix's Guan (Penelope jacquacu jacquacu)
Photograph by Tom Friedel © All Rights Reserved.


Andean Guan (Penelope montagnii montagnii) ACAIME Reserve, Salento, Colombia Note red eye and compact shape. A medium sized guan.
Photograph by Tom Friedel © All Rights Reserved.

A less {rufous} idividual.


Rusty-margined Guan (Penelope superciliaris) Near Threatened Piuval, Pantanal, Brazil
Photograph by Bruno Conjeaud © All Rights Reserved.

Smaller than the Dusky-legged Guan, and note rusty edges to wing and tail feathers, and rusty/rufous belly/vent (vs. brown). Also Rusty-margined has a light or white eyebrow (latin name superciliaris).

© Tom Friedel - All Rights Reserved, except for images and data otherwise noted.       Colombia       Panama       Ecuador       Costa Rica       Mexico
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Really Experimental sites:       Guyana       Cuba