Photo: Francesco Veronesi from Italy / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Bearded Guan
Penelope barbata
Bearded Guan (Penelope barbata) — Gamebirds of South America.
Found across 2 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Bearded Guan (Penelope barbata) is a member of the Cracidae family found in South America. Adults weigh 665 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Close to qualifying for a threatened category in the near future.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Galliformes
- Family Cracidae Chachalacas, Curassows, Guans
- Genus Penelope
- Species barbata
Quick facts
- Weight
- 665 g
- Diet
- Fruit-eaters
- Family
- Cracidae
- Order
- Galliformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Endangered
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Bearded Guan is a frugivore — it feeds mainly on fruit.
Behaviour
A bird of dense forest, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Bearded Guan is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Bearded Guan (Penelope barbata) is a species of bird in the Cracidae family, part of the order Galliformes. Its range spans South America. Its distribution covers SA s Ecuador and nw Peru.
It is a large bird. Adults weighs around 665 g, with a wing length of about 24.2 cm and a tail of around 25.5 cm.
The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened. That means it is close to qualifying as threatened and is worth keeping a careful eye on.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 16,000 km² — a relatively restricted global range.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Bearded Guan?
The Bearded Guan is a large bird that weighs around 665 g.
Where does the Bearded Guan live?
The Bearded Guan is found across South America with a range covering SA s Ecuador and nw Peru, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Bearded Guan belong to?
The Bearded Guan (Penelope barbata) belongs to the Cracidae family, in the order Galliformes.
What does the Bearded Guan eat?
The Bearded Guan is a frugivore — it feeds mainly on fruit.
Does the Bearded Guan migrate?
The Bearded Guan is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Bearded Guan endangered?
The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened That means it is close to qualifying as threatened and is worth keeping a careful eye on.
What sound does the Bearded Guan make?
1 real field recording of the Bearded Guan — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Bearded Guan's range?
The Bearded Guan has a mapped global range of about 16,000 km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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