Photo: scaup / CC BY 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Black Curassow
Crax alector
Black Curassow (Crax alector) — 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 Black Curassow (Crax alector) is a member of the Cracidae family found in South America. Adults weigh 2.9 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 Crax
- Species alector
Quick facts
- Weight
- 2.9 kg
- Diet
- Fruit-eaters
- Family
- Cracidae
- Order
- Galliformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Extinct in the Wild
Critically Endangered
Near Threatened
Vulnerable
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Black Curassow is a frugivore — it feeds mainly on fruit.
Behaviour
A bird of dense forest, it forages mainly on the ground.
Migration
The Black Curassow is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Black Curassow (Crax alector) belongs to the Cracidae family of the order Galliformes. It occurs naturally across South America. Its distribution covers SA n Amazonia.
It is a very large bird. Adults weighs around 2.9 kg, with a wing length of about 39.5 cm and a tail of around 36 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 2.1 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Black Curassow?
The Black Curassow is a very large bird that weighs around 2.9 kg.
Where does the Black Curassow live?
The Black Curassow is found across South America with a range covering SA n Amazonia, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Black Curassow belong to?
The Black Curassow (Crax alector) belongs to the Cracidae family, in the order Galliformes.
What does the Black Curassow eat?
The Black Curassow is a frugivore — it feeds mainly on fruit.
Does the Black Curassow migrate?
The Black Curassow is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Black Curassow 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 Curassow make?
1 real field recording of the Black Curassow — 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 Black Curassow's range?
The Black Curassow has a mapped global range of about 2.1 million 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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