Wattled Curassow
December 18, 2008
The Wattled Curassow (Crax globulosa), is a bird in the Cracidae family (curassows, guans, chachalacas). It is found rarely in the wild and is vulnerable due to hunting and habitat destruction. Its natural range is the western and southwestern Amazon Basin. Populations are scattered at best and birds occur in northern Peru, eastern Ecuador, extreme southern Colombia, Bolivia and Brazil.
It is the most ancient species of the southern Crax curassows. Its origins date back to the Late Miocene period when its ancestors became isolated in western Amazonia. It is 32 to 35 inches long and weighs up to 5.5 pounds. These birds are mostly seen in captivity as they are rare in the wild.