Photo: Dario Sanches from SÃO PAULO, BRASIL / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Dusky-legged Guan
Penelope obscura
Dusky-legged Guan (Penelope obscura) — 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 Dusky-legged Guan (Penelope obscura) is a member of the Cracidae family found in South America. Adults weigh 1.8 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 Penelope
- Species obscura
Where it lives
Eastern, southern Brazil to southeastern Paraguay, Uruguay and northeastern Argentina
Quick facts
- Weight
- 1.8 kg
- Diet
- Fruit-eaters
- Family
- Cracidae
- Order
- Galliformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Not Evaluated
Least Concern
Vulnerable
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Dusky-legged 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 Dusky-legged Guan is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Dusky-legged Guan (Penelope obscura) is a member of the Cracidae family, within the order Galliformes. Its range spans South America. Its distribution covers SA e, s Brazil to se Paraguay, Uruguay and ne Argentina.
It is a very large bird. Adults weighs around 1.8 kg, with a wing length of about 30.9 cm and a tail of around 31.4 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 1 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Dusky-legged Guan?
The Dusky-legged Guan is a very large bird that weighs around 1.8 kg.
Where does the Dusky-legged Guan live?
The Dusky-legged Guan is found across South America with a range covering SA e, s Brazil to se Paraguay, Uruguay and ne Argentina, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Dusky-legged Guan belong to?
The Dusky-legged Guan (Penelope obscura) belongs to the Cracidae family, in the order Galliformes.
What does the Dusky-legged Guan eat?
The Dusky-legged Guan is a frugivore — it feeds mainly on fruit.
Does the Dusky-legged Guan migrate?
The Dusky-legged Guan is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Dusky-legged 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 Dusky-legged Guan make?
1 real field recording of the Dusky-legged 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 Dusky-legged Guan's range?
The Dusky-legged Guan has a mapped global range of about 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.
Explore more birds
More in Cracidae
Vulnerable
Endangered
Least Concern
Extinct in the Wild
Near Threatened
Least Concern
More in Game Birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern