Photo: Charles J. Sharp / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Black Guan
Chamaepetes unicolor
Black Guan (Chamaepetes unicolor) — Gamebirds of Central America & Caribbean.
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The Black Guan (Chamaepetes unicolor) is a member of the Cracidae family found in Central America & Caribbean. Adults weigh 1.1 kg. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Galliformes
- Family Cracidae Chachalacas, Curassows, Guans
- Genus Chamaepetes
- Species unicolor
Quick facts
- Weight
- 1.1 kg
- Diet
- Fruit-eaters
- Family
- Cracidae
- Order
- Galliformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Vulnerable
Least Concern
Least Concern
Critically Endangered
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Black 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 Black Guan is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Black Guan (Chamaepetes unicolor) is a member of the Cracidae family, within the order Galliformes. It is found across Central America & Caribbean. Its distribution covers MA Costa Rica and Panama.
It is a very large bird. Adults weighs around 1.1 kg, with a wing length of about 29 cm and a tail of around 25.9 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 16,000 km² — a relatively restricted global range.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Black Guan?
The Black Guan is a very large bird that weighs around 1.1 kg.
Where does the Black Guan live?
The Black Guan is found across Central America & Caribbean with a range covering MA Costa Rica and Panama, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Black Guan belong to?
The Black Guan (Chamaepetes unicolor) belongs to the Cracidae family, in the order Galliformes.
What does the Black Guan eat?
The Black Guan is a frugivore — it feeds mainly on fruit.
Does the Black Guan migrate?
The Black Guan is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Black Guan endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Black Guan make?
1 real field recording of the Black Guan can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Black Guan's range?
The Black 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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