Penelope bridgesi
The Yungas Guan, *Penelope bridgesi*, is a striking medium-sized gamebird endemic to the humid montane cloud forests of the Andes. Measuring approximately 60-70 cm (23-28 inches) in length and weighing between 1.0-1.5 kg (2.2-3.3 lbs), its plumage is typically dark brownish-olive to blackish, often exhibiting a subtle bronzy or purplish sheen under certain light conditions. A key identification feature is its prominent, bushy crest of dark feathers and a vibrant scarlet-red throat wattle, whi...
Restricted to subtropical and tropical moist montane cloud forests (Yungas) along the eastern slopes of the Andes, typically between 500-2,500 meters (occasionally up to 3,000m) above sea level.
Primarily frugivorous, consuming a wide variety of fruits, as well as leaves, flowers, and buds, foraging almost exclusively in the forest canopy.
The Yungas Guan is a diurnal species, spending the majority of its active hours in the dense mid-to-upper canopy of the forest, where it moves with surprising agility, leaping and gliding between branches. Foraging is primarily arboreal, with birds plucking fruits, leaves, and buds directly from ...
The Yungas Guan is an endemic resident of the humid montane forests, known as the Yungas, along the eastern slopes of the Andes. Its geographic distribution spans south-central Bolivia and northwestern Argentina. In Bolivia, its range extends from departments such as Cochabamba and Santa Cruz, so...
Least Concern
- The name 'Yungas' refers to the specific humid montane ecoregion along the eastern slopes of the Andes where this bird exclusively resides. - Its loud, resonant calls, often described as a series of 'honks' or 'barks,' are a defining soundscape element of the Yungas cloud forests. - Despite its...