Red-faced Guan Penelope dabbenei Scientific name definitions

This guan is found only in Yungas Forest along the eastern slope of the Andes from S Bolivia to NW Argentina, as such it has a relatively small range. Its preference is for humid and relatively tall montane forests, particularly larger tracts of forest, being particularly fond of Alder (Alnus sp.) dominated forests. It is attracted to fruiting trees, such as mulberry (Morus insignis). The Red-faced is a medium-sized Penelope guan with red facial skin, and relatively large red throat wattles. As with most in this group it is a long-tailed, brown bird with whitish scaling on the neck, breast and back, although the Red-faced Guan also shows a prominent whitish supercilium and reddish legs. The population appears to be declining due to habitat destruction, but it is considered not yet to have crossed a threshold to list it as threatened.

63–69 cm; one female 1230 g. A large guan with mainly rich brown plumage , flecked white or silvery white over head , breast and upper back, with red dewlap typical of genus. Only species of Penelope with bright pinkish-red bare facial skin.

E slope of Andes in S Bolivia (S Santa Cruz, Chuquisaca and Tarija) and NW Argentina (Jujuy and Salta).

Large tracts of cloudforest on steep slopes of E Andes, with presence of large trees, e.g. cedars (Cedrela), Eugenia or Blepharocalyx; in highest parts of range forest dominated by alders (Alnus jorullensis), Podocarpus parlatorei (Podocarpaceae) and Tabebuia lapacho (Bignoniaceae), occasionally even Polylepis (Rosaceae) (2 del Hoyo, J., and A. Motis (2004). Update chapter. In Curassows and Related Birds (J. Delacour, and D. Amadon), Second edition. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona, Spain, and American Museum of Natural History, New York, USA. pp. 322–476. Close ). Occasionally recorded in comparatively young second growth with much narrow-stemmed bamboo, or relatively small patches of forest (2 del Hoyo, J., and A. Motis (2004). Update chapter. In Curassows and Related Birds (J. Delacour, and D. Amadon), Second edition. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona, Spain, and American Museum of Natural History, New York, USA. pp. 322–476. Close ). Found mainly between 1800 m and 2500 m; occasionally as low as 1300 m (records below 1000 m generally not accepted) (2 del Hoyo, J., and A. Motis (2004). Update chapter. In Curassows and Related Birds (J. Delacour, and D. Amadon), Second edition. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona, Spain, and American Museum of Natural History, New York, USA. pp. 322–476. Close ), or as high as 3000 m (3 Krabbe, N., B. O. Poulsen, A. Frølander, M. Hinojosa B., and C. Quiroga O. (1996). Birds of montane forest fragments in Chuquisaca Department, Bolivia. Bulletin of the British Ornithologists' Club 116(4): 230–243. Close ). Found syntopically with P. obscura bridgesi in NW Argentina, and the two species may forage together (2 del Hoyo, J., and A. Motis (2004). Update chapter. In Curassows and Related Birds (J. Delacour, and D. Amadon), Second edition. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona, Spain, and American Museum of Natural History, New York, USA. pp. 322–476. Close ).

Few data available, but presumably largely sedentary, although some downslope movements reported during wet season in NW Argentina, when it regularly occurs down to 1500 m (2 del Hoyo, J., and A. Motis (2004). Update chapter. In Curassows and Related Birds (J. Delacour, and D. Amadon), Second edition. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona, Spain, and American Museum of Natural History, New York, USA. pp. 322–476. Close ).

Mainly fruits (including those of Ilex argentina, Viburnum seemenii, Citronella apogon and Myrsine coriacea), also leaves and arthropods (4 Ruggera, R.A., Álvarez, M.A. and Biendinger, P.G. (2011). Dieta de la Pava de Monte Alisera (Penelope dabbenei) en un bosque montano del nororeste de Argentina. Orn. Neotropical. 22(4): 615–621. Close ). Forages mainly in trees, but also regularly on ground (2 del Hoyo, J., and A. Motis (2004). Update chapter. In Curassows and Related Birds (J. Delacour, and D. Amadon), Second edition. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona, Spain, and American Museum of Natural History, New York, USA. pp. 322–476. Close ); usually in pairs, but a group of c. 25 birds (presumably reflecting the amalgamation of several family parties) recently reported from Bolivia.

Wing-whirring display given at dawn is similar to those of P. montagnii, P. obscura and P. jacquacu in being subdivided into two sections with a split-second gap between them, the first part short and emphatic, the second longer and trailing-off; sometimes only the second part is given (2 del Hoyo, J., and A. Motis (2004). Update chapter. In Curassows and Related Birds (J. Delacour, and D. Amadon), Second edition. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona, Spain, and American Museum of Natural History, New York, USA. pp. 322–476. Close ). Song, which is given between displays, comprises random-sounding gruff notes, given in level series  . In alarm  , gives a loud, throaty and repeated “kroa, kroa...” interspersed by whistled notes “luuuii”. Differs from analagous vocalization of P. obscura in that the two note types are not synchronously uttered (2 del Hoyo, J., and A. Motis (2004). Update chapter. In Curassows and Related Birds (J. Delacour, and D. Amadon), Second edition. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona, Spain, and American Museum of Natural History, New York, USA. pp. 322–476. Close ).

Displaying and calling pairs recorded in Sept–Oct in Bolivia, and Oct–Dec in NW Argentina (2 del Hoyo, J., and A. Motis (2004). Update chapter. In Curassows and Related Birds (J. Delacour, and D. Amadon), Second edition. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona, Spain, and American Museum of Natural History, New York, USA. pp. 322–476. Close ). Nest a platform made of twigs and stems, lined with leaves, placed in a tree. Clutch three white (5 de la Peña, M. R. (1992). Guía de Aves Argentinas. Volume 2. Second edition. Falconiformes-Charadriiformes. Literature of Latin America, Buenos Aires, Argentina. Close ) eggs, 69–70 mm × 49–51 mm (2 del Hoyo, J., and A. Motis (2004). Update chapter. In Curassows and Related Birds (J. Delacour, and D. Amadon), Second edition. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona, Spain, and American Museum of Natural History, New York, USA. pp. 322–476. Close ). No further information available (2 del Hoyo, J., and A. Motis (2004). Update chapter. In Curassows and Related Birds (J. Delacour, and D. Amadon), Second edition. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona, Spain, and American Museum of Natural History, New York, USA. pp. 322–476. Close ).

Not globally threatened (Least Concern). Formerly considered Near Threatened, but much-improved knowledge of species’ status and distribution gained in recent decades have led to it being downgraded. In Argentina, common in Calilegua National Park (76,000 ha), Jujuy, where relatively well protected, more by inaccessibility and isolation than by adequate wardening. Until recently, only other confirmed reports of modern occurrence of species in Argentina were three specimens collected in 1976 at Río Lipeo, but since found in Potrero de Yala Provincial Park, Jujuy, at Los Toldos, Salta  and the isolated Baritú National Park (72,000 ha), Salta (2 del Hoyo, J., and A. Motis (2004). Update chapter. In Curassows and Related Birds (J. Delacour, and D. Amadon), Second edition. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona, Spain, and American Museum of Natural History, New York, USA. pp. 322–476. Close ). Considered Vulnerable in Argentina by Dirección Nacional de Fauna and populations outside national parks probably suffer some hunting pressure, but due to its remote and highland range it is probably the least threatened cracid in Argentina (2 del Hoyo, J., and A. Motis (2004). Update chapter. In Curassows and Related Birds (J. Delacour, and D. Amadon), Second edition. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona, Spain, and American Museum of Natural History, New York, USA. pp. 322–476. Close ). In Bolivia, species had gone unrecorded for several decades and considerable reduction of its habitat was reported in O’Connor and Arce Provinces, Tarija. However, in 1991, a sizeable population was discovered in C Chuquisaca, at Montes Chapeados, with density of c. 5 pairs/km² and estimated total of 3000 pairs, and in 1995 the species was found to be fairly common at a locality in S Chuquisaca (3 Krabbe, N., B. O. Poulsen, A. Frølander, M. Hinojosa B., and C. Quiroga O. (1996). Birds of montane forest fragments in Chuquisaca Department, Bolivia. Bulletin of the British Ornithologists' Club 116(4): 230–243. Close ), with additional populations further N in same department (2 del Hoyo, J., and A. Motis (2004). Update chapter. In Curassows and Related Birds (J. Delacour, and D. Amadon), Second edition. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona, Spain, and American Museum of Natural History, New York, USA. pp. 322–476. Close ); a few birds were also seen near Vallegrande and subsequently at La Pajcha  , S Santa Cruz (6 Lane, D. F. (2014). New and noteworthy records of birds in Bolivia. Cotinga 36:56–67. Close ), indicating a range extension to N; a population of similar size may inhabit an area N of R Pilcomayo. Population discovered in Chuquisaca was not suffering severe hunting pressure (gun ownership is low within this guan’s Bolivian range) (2 del Hoyo, J., and A. Motis (2004). Update chapter. In Curassows and Related Birds (J. Delacour, and D. Amadon), Second edition. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona, Spain, and American Museum of Natural History, New York, USA. pp. 322–476. Close ), and at present benefits from absence of roads in area.