Wattled Curassow

Identification

The wattled curassow is a large bird measuring 82–89 cm long and weighing around 2,500 g. Males are striking in appearance, with entirely black plumage except for a distinctive white crissum (the area around the cloaca). Their most characteristic feature is the head ornamentation: curled feathers crest the crown, while the bill bears conspicuous crimson adornments including a round red knob with a bony core at the base of the upper bill and a small fleshy wattle below the mandible. Females resemble males in their black plumage but have a reddish-buff crissum and lack the male's dramatic bill ornaments, instead displaying a bright orange-red cere. Young males show less developed facial features with a more yellowish hue.

Range & Habitat

This species inhabits remote rainforests in the western Amazon basin, ranging from the Andes foothills of southeastern Colombia, eastern Ecuador, and Peru south to northern Bolivia and western Brazil. Its distribution is essentially bounded by the Caquetá-Japurá, Solimões, Amazon and Madeira Rivers. However, its precise distribution remains poorly known, as most observations come from people travelling along rivers within its range.

The wattled curassow favours gallery forests and seasonally-flooded forests, where it spends much of its time on the ground in small groups. The species has experienced significant habitat loss due to progressive rainforest clearance, contributing to its declining population status.

Behaviour & Diet

This curassow feeds primarily on fruit, supplemented opportunistically with invertebrates and small vertebrates. It is a terrestrial forager, typically moving about in small flocks. Little is known of its breeding habits in the wild, though it is confirmed that the nest is constructed from sticks and leaves, with two eggs typically laid per breeding attempt.

Best Time & Places to See It

Finding this threatened species requires travel to remote rainforest regions of the western Amazon basin. The most reliable locations are along river systems—particularly the Solimões, Amazon, Madeira, and their tributaries—where the bird is most frequently encountered by river travellers. Access typically requires expeditions into the most remote regions of Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, or Bolivia. Patience and early morning excursions when the birds are most active offer the best chance of observation.

Photography Tips

The wattled curassow's striking black plumage and brilliant red bill ornaments in males make for dramatic photographs, particularly in dappled forest light. The bird's ground-feeding behaviour in small groups offers opportunities for natural-history shots. However, its endangered status and remote habitat mean encounters are unpredictable. A telephoto lens is essential for distant forest photography, and patience in waiting for birds to emerge into clearings or forest edges will reward the persistent photographer.