Great Curassow
Crax rubra
Photographed at Discovery Cove, Florida Mar 2016
The great curassow is a 36-inch tall,
hearty bird from southern Mexico to western Ecuador. All great curassows have a
peak of forward-curling feathers on their heads, and long tails. The base of
the great curassow's bill is yellow with a round bulge. The coloring of the
females varies; they can be black or chestnut-colored with black or white bars
and their heads and crest may be striped with black and white. The males are a
lustrous blue or black, and have white bellies. They have long lifespans (up to
24 years!) and a low rate of reproduction.
The male curassow leads his family and whistles when there are signs of danger. Females lay two eggs at a time. Curassows are monogamous and travel in pairs or in small groups. The group can communicate by grunting. Like chickens, they tend to run rather than fly.
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