Blue-throated piping guan

The blue-throated piping guan is a captivating bird native to South America, and a member of the Cracidae family. Its appearance closely resembles that of a turkey. There are two recognized subspecies: P. c. cumanensis and P. c. grayi. These birds can be found in various countries, including Venezuela, Colombia, Brazil, Peru, Bolivia, and Paraguay. They thrive in humid lowland forests, riparian forests, and forest edges.

Despite their somewhat prehistoric look, these birds are notably striking. They predominantly exhibit black feathers with hints of greenish or olive, complemented by white patches on their wings and chest, and a distinctive blue bill. During the breeding season, they produce a unique piping call and perform a flight display that includes wing-claps and rattles. Typically, they live in pairs when breeding but form larger groups at other times. Their diet mainly consists of fruits and flowers found in the forest canopy.

Information about their reproduction is limited, although some breeding behaviors have been observed in Colombia. Ongoing debate among scientists persists on whether the blue-throated piping guan should be classified as a separate species or as two subspecies of Pipile pipile. While genetic studies lean towards recognizing them as distinct species, the discovery of interbreeding with the red-throated piping guan in Bolivia complicates their classification. One of the subspecies is known as Gray's piping guan (Pipile cumanensis grayi).