Trinidad Piping-Guan
Pipile pipile
Large, turkey-like bird found only in the forests of northern Trinidad. It is black with white patches on the wings and crown, a light blue face, and an azure dewlap (flap of bare skin) that dangles from its throat. It is usually seen high in the trees, but on rare occasions can descend to the ground. Song is a series of drawn out, rising whistles, and it also sometimes rattles its wings loudly in flight. Locally known as “pawi”, this impressive bird is highly endangered due to hunting, and is regularly seen in only a few places, such as near the town of Grand Riviere.
Identification
This is a medium-sized cracid, 60 cm in length, and similar in general appearance to a turkey, with a thin neck and small head. It is mainly black with a purple gloss. The large crest is blackish, edged with white, and there are large white wing patches. The bare face and wattle are blue, and the legs are red.<p>The Trinidad piping guan's call is a thin piping. The wings whirr in flight.
Taxonomy
Data confirms that the other blue-wattled species, the blue-throated piping guan, is the Trinidad species' closest living relative. The same data suggests that these diverged some 400,000 years ago at latest, perhaps as early as 1.6 mya, whereas Trinidad has been an island only since the end of the last ice age. This indicates that the Trinidad piping guan evolved in mainland South America, being driven to its relict island range in more recent times. The holotype of this species was supposedly collected in the "Orinoco River [region] near Cumaná" (del Hoyo 1994a,b). This locality has usually been considered erroneous. However, as it indicates an area on the mainland roughly opposite Trinidad, it might actually be correct and indicate that the Trinidad piping guan was not extirpated from Venezuela until around 1800. In South America, the form cumanensis has a greenish gloss to the plumage, a white face and crest, and a blue wattle, cujubi has a blue face and a red wattle, and jacutinga has a black face and a red wattle."
- Scientific name
- Pipile pipile
- Authority
- (Jacquin, 1784)
- Order
- Galliformes
- Family
- Cracidae
- Genus
- Pipile
Range and habitat
- Migration
- Resident species
Behavior
They are forest birds, and the nest is built in a tree. Three large white eggs are laid, the female alone incubating. This arboreal species feeds on fruit and berries (such as those from the fragrant nutmeg and baboonwood), as well as flowers and leaves. The confirmation of small insects being a part of their diet has not been made yet.
Conservation
- Population trend
- rising
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Indigo Flowerpiercer
Diglossa indigotica
Small flowerpiercer with restricted range in western Colombia and northwest Ecuador. Entirely ultramarine blue, though can appear dark in poor light. Most distinctive feature is its piercing red eye. Also note the typical flowerpiercer bill: uniquely upswept with a hooked tip. Found in the subtropical zone of the Andes, where singles or pairs forage at all levels of forest and edge, often following mixed-species flocks.
Plushcap
Catamblyrhynchus diadema
This distinctive little sprite is uncommon in the understory of the upper subtropical and temperate zones in the Andes, especially around patches of bamboo. It is rich rufous below and steely gray above with a shining yellow forecrown. Also note the stout dark bill. Sexes similar. Usually found in pairs or small groups, almost always following a mixed-species flock.
Rough-legged Tyrannulet
Acrochordopus burmeisteri
Small flycatcher found in forest canopy. Confusingly similar to other tyrannulets, but note especially its stubby (not pointy) bill with a very pale base, which can be quite evident since you are often looking straight up at the bird. Voice is another good clue; it often gives sharp whistles, either alone or in a series. It also tends to be more sluggish, perches more vertically, and stays higher up in the trees than other similar tyrannulets. It has two separate populations, one in the Atlantic Forest region, and another along the east slope of the Andes in Argentina, Bolivia, and perhaps far southern Peru. Northward it is replaced by White-fronted Tyrannulet, which is now considered a separate species. The area of overlap is not well known. Rough-legged Tyrannulet is more uniformly colored, showing little or no gray in the crown.
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