Mitu salvini
Salvin's Curassow, Mitu salvini, is a striking and reclusive large gamebird endemic to the humid forests of South America. Males average 89 cm (35 inches) in length and weigh around 3.2-3.5 kg (7-7.7 lbs), exhibiting glossy black plumage with a distinctive white vent. Its most prominent field marks include a large, pale blue-gray bill that is slightly arched, and bright coral-red legs, creating a stark contrast against its dark body. Females are subtly similar, sometimes showing a faint rufou...
Found primarily in humid tropical lowland evergreen forests, including terra firme and successional areas, typically at elevations up to 1,100 meters.
Primarily frugivorous, consuming fallen fruits and seeds from a wide variety of forest plants, supplemented by leaves, flowers, and various invertebrates gleaned from the forest floor.
Salvin's Curassow is a largely terrestrial and diurnal bird, spending most of its time foraging on the forest floor, though it will roost and occasionally forage in trees. It is generally observed singly, in pairs, or in small family groups, often being quite shy and secretive, quickly fleeing in...
Salvin's Curassow possesses a restricted and fragmented range, found exclusively in the humid lowlands and foothills of south-western Colombia and north-western Ecuador. In Colombia, its distribution is primarily concentrated in the departments of Nariño and Putumayo, extending along the Pacific ...
Vulnerable
- Salvin's Curassow is named after Osbert Salvin, a renowned English naturalist and ornithologist of the 19th century. - Its distinctive blue-gray bill is a key feature, making it easily distinguishable from other curassow species in its range. - Despite its large size, this curassow is exception...