Red-throated Piping-Guan

Pipile cujubi

The Birds of the World website offers these introductory words about the Red-throated Piping-Guan:  The Red-throated Piping-Guan is a medium-sized arboreal cracid found in the central Amazon basin, south of the Amazon River. It is fairly common in forest, including riverine forest, where it generally remains in the canopy and occurs in flocks of up to thirty birds. Like other piping-guans, the Red-throated Piping-Guan is black overall with white patches in the upperwing coverts, a shaggy white crest, and some white speckling on the breast. The combination of extensive pale blue bare facial skin and red gular patch distinguish this species from other piping-guans, none of which occur within its range.

I saw and photographed my first Red-throated Piping-Guan on the morning of August 19, 2023 in the Amazon Basin Region of Brazil.  Our small group with Jeff Parker Tours was at Southwild’s Fazenda São Nicolau located on the Juruena River west of Alta Floresta.  That morning we were up early for a boat ride on the river when we spotted a small group of Red-throated Piping-Guan.  For a more detailed description of this day, look here at my blog post on my Brazil trip.  Here are some of my photos of these colorful birds.

The next morning (August 20,  2023) we were once again on the Juruena River in one of the Southwild boats heading for the ferry landing when we spotted some Red-throated Piping-Guan perched on large rocks.  I was able to get some closer, and better, shots of this colorful bird.