Photo: KCZooFan / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Horned Guan
Oreophasis derbianus
Horned Guan (Oreophasis derbianus) — Gamebirds of Central America & Caribbean.
Found on 1 guide in our atlas — open it for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Horned Guan (Oreophasis derbianus) is a member of the Cracidae family found in Central America & Caribbean. Adults weigh 2.1 kg. The IUCN Red List lists it as Endangered.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Facing a very high risk of extinction in the wild.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Galliformes
- Family Cracidae Chachalacas, Curassows, Guans
- Genus Oreophasis
- Species derbianus
Quick facts
- Weight
- 2.1 kg
- Diet
- Fruit-eaters
- Family
- Cracidae
- Order
- Galliformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Near Threatened
Least Concern
Vulnerable
Vulnerable
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Horned 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 Horned Guan is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Horned Guan (Oreophasis derbianus) belongs to the Cracidae family of the order Galliformes. It is found across Central America & Caribbean. Its distribution covers MA se Mexico and Guatemala.
It is a very large bird. Adults weighs around 2.1 kg, with a wing length of about 37.1 cm and a tail of around 35.3 cm.
It is classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List and is a focus of conservation concern. Endangered species face a very high risk of extinction in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 7,715 km² — a relatively restricted global range.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Horned Guan?
The Horned Guan is a very large bird that weighs around 2.1 kg.
Where does the Horned Guan live?
The Horned Guan is found across Central America & Caribbean with a range covering MA se Mexico and Guatemala, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Horned Guan belong to?
The Horned Guan (Oreophasis derbianus) belongs to the Cracidae family, in the order Galliformes.
What does the Horned Guan eat?
The Horned Guan is a frugivore — it feeds mainly on fruit.
Does the Horned Guan migrate?
The Horned Guan is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Horned Guan endangered?
It is classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List and is a focus of conservation concern Endangered species face a very high risk of extinction in the wild.
What sound does the Horned Guan make?
1 real field recording of the Horned 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 Horned Guan's range?
The Horned Guan has a mapped global range of about 7,715 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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