Blue-throated Piping-guan
Encyclopedia
The Blue-throated Piping Guan, Pipile cumanensis is a South America
n bird of the family Cracidae
that is somewhat similar in appearance to the turkey
.
, the Orinoco
river in Venezuela
, and southeastern Colombia
south to northwestern (Amazonian) Brazil
and southeastern Peru
. There and possibly in northern Bolivia
it intergrades with the bigger P. cumanensis grayi (Pelzeln
, 1870) (Gray's Piping-guan), which continues through northern and central Bolivia, Mato Grosso
State of Brazil, and northern and eastern Paraguay
. This species occurs locally in forests: in Colombia and Venezuela, humid lowland forests (occasionally as high as 1000 meters) whether seasonally flooded or not, and riparian forest
s. It especially favors the edges where the forest meets open land or a river.
in grayi. The legs are red.
During the breeding season it is noisy. At dawn it gives a "piping" call of 6 or so slow high-pitched, clear whistles, "slightly ascending in pitch, püüeee, püüeee, püüeee,…", reminiscent of the Scale-backed Antbird
. Its flight display, at dawn or in the daytime, includes "2 quick wing-claps (often barely audible), then 2 whirring rattles with wings," the second seeming to reverse the first as in shuffling cards (Colombia and Venezuela). At other seasons it is usually silent.
it is fairly common and easy to see.
Little is known about its reproduction. In Colombia it has been observed in breeding condition in February and laying eggs in May. One nest was built of twigs in thick vegetation in the canopy and contained three yellowish-white eggs.
, but free interbreeding between this species (grayi) and the Red-throated Piping Guan in eastern Bolivia, creating a "hybrid swarm", suggests a lump
.
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
n bird of the family Cracidae
Cracidae
The chachalacas, guans and curassows are birds in the family Cracidae.These are species of tropical and subtropical Central and South America. One species, the Plain Chachalaca, just reaches southernmost Texas in the USA...
that is somewhat similar in appearance to the turkey
Turkey (bird)
A turkey is a large bird in the genus Meleagris. One species, Meleagris gallopavo, commonly known as the Wild Turkey, is native to the forests of North America. The domestic turkey is a descendant of this species...
.
Composition, range and habitat
There are two subspecies. P. cumanensis cumanensis (Jacquin, 1784) is found from the GuyanasGuyanas
Guyana is a country in South America.Guyana, Guayana, or Guiana may also refer to:*Guayana Esequiba, the territory of Guyana claimed by Venezuela*Guayana Region, an administrative region of Venezuela...
, the Orinoco
Orinoco
The Orinoco is one of the longest rivers in South America at . Its drainage basin, sometimes called the Orinoquia, covers , with 76.3% of it in Venezuela and the remainder in Colombia...
river in Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
, and southeastern Colombia
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
south to northwestern (Amazonian) Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
and southeastern Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
. There and possibly in northern Bolivia
Bolivia
Bolivia officially known as Plurinational State of Bolivia , is a landlocked country in central South America. It is the poorest country in South America...
it intergrades with the bigger P. cumanensis grayi (Pelzeln
August von Pelzeln
August von Pelzeln was an Austrian ornithologist.August Edler Pelzeln was in charge of the mammal and bird collections at the Imperial Natural History Museum in Vienna...
, 1870) (Gray's Piping-guan), which continues through northern and central Bolivia, Mato Grosso
Mato Grosso
Mato Grosso is one of the states of Brazil, the third largest in area, located in the western part of the country.Neighboring states are Rondônia, Amazonas, Pará, Tocantins, Goiás and Mato Grosso do Sul. It also borders Bolivia to the southwest...
State of Brazil, and northern and eastern Paraguay
Paraguay
Paraguay , officially the Republic of Paraguay , is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the south and southwest, Brazil to the east and northeast, and Bolivia to the northwest. Paraguay lies on both banks of the Paraguay River, which runs through the center of the...
. This species occurs locally in forests: in Colombia and Venezuela, humid lowland forests (occasionally as high as 1000 meters) whether seasonally flooded or not, and riparian forest
Riparian forest
A riparian forest is a forested area of land adjacent to a body of water such as a river, stream, pond, lake, marshland, estuary, canal, sink or reservoir. -Etymology:...
s. It especially favors the edges where the forest meets open land or a river.
Description
The Blue-throated Piping Guan is described as "oddly 'prehistoric' (reptilian)" but "handsome". It averages 69 cm (27 inches) long, including its neck and tail, both long, the neck and head disproportionately thin and small, the tail disproportionately big. Most of the plumage is black with a greenish gloss—blue-green in cumanensis, olive in grayi. It has a large white patch on each wing, white flecks on the wing coverts and chest, a white patch over the eye, and a white or buffy-white nape (and upper neck in grayi). Both subspecies have a short white or buffy-white crest; in cumanensis it is shaggy and nearly solid-colored; in grayi it is hairier, and the feather shafts are black, appearing as streaks. The bill is baby-blue at the base and cobalt-blue at the tip. Both subspecies have blue bare flesh on the throat with a wattle in cumanensis and a hanging caruncleCaruncle
Caruncle may refer to:*In botany, an elaiosome , especially in the plant family Euphorbiaceae*In animal anatomy:**prostomium, the sensory organ of Annelid worms...
in grayi. The legs are red.
During the breeding season it is noisy. At dawn it gives a "piping" call of 6 or so slow high-pitched, clear whistles, "slightly ascending in pitch, püüeee, püüeee, püüeee,…", reminiscent of the Scale-backed Antbird
Scale-backed Antbird
The Common Scale-backed Antbird is a species of bird in the Thamnophilidae family, the antbirds. It has often been included in the genus Hylophylax, but is now known to be part of a different clade, leading to its placement in the genus Willisornis...
. Its flight display, at dawn or in the daytime, includes "2 quick wing-claps (often barely audible), then 2 whirring rattles with wings," the second seeming to reverse the first as in shuffling cards (Colombia and Venezuela). At other seasons it is usually silent.
Behavior
This species occurs in pairs during the breeding season and bigger groups, as many as 12, at other times. It walks nimbly or hops with help from its wings in the canopy or sub-canopy of the forest, especially in trees with flowers or fruit that it eats. To cross clearings it sets off with fast wingbeats and then glides, giving another flurry of wingbeats if needed to maintain its height. Where not huntedHunting
Hunting is the practice of pursuing any living thing, usually wildlife, for food, recreation, or trade. In present-day use, the term refers to lawful hunting, as distinguished from poaching, which is the killing, trapping or capture of the hunted species contrary to applicable law...
it is fairly common and easy to see.
Little is known about its reproduction. In Colombia it has been observed in breeding condition in February and laying eggs in May. One nest was built of twigs in thick vegetation in the canopy and contained three yellowish-white eggs.
Taxonomy
Instead of a species, the Blue-throated Piping Guan is sometimes considered to be two subspecies of Pipile pipile, a name that is here restricted to the Trinidad Piping Guan. Authorities disagree, as does recent evidence. A genetic study suggests a splitLumpers and splitters
Lumping and splitting refers to a well-known problem in any discipline which has to place individual examples into rigorously defined categories. The lumper/splitter problem occurs when there is the need to create classifications and assign examples to them, for example schools of literature,...
, but free interbreeding between this species (grayi) and the Red-throated Piping Guan in eastern Bolivia, creating a "hybrid swarm", suggests a lump
Lumpers and splitters
Lumping and splitting refers to a well-known problem in any discipline which has to place individual examples into rigorously defined categories. The lumper/splitter problem occurs when there is the need to create classifications and assign examples to them, for example schools of literature,...
.