Highland guan
Scientific name: Penelopina nigra
- How weight is recorded: Whole weight
Field notes
Appearance
A medium-sized dark game bird with predominantly black plumage, red facial skin, and a pale blue or greenish throat patch. Males are slightly larger and darker than females, with more prominent head coloration.
Size and weight
Weight: 300–450 g; body length: 55–65 cm. Males average 10–15% heavier than females.
Habitat
Highland guan inhabits montane cloud forests and humid pine-oak forests at elevations between 1,500 and 3,200 m. They prefer steep, densely vegetated slopes with thick canopy cover and abundant epiphytes.
Distribution
Endemic to the highlands of southern Mexico (Chiapas) and Central America (Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador). Restricted to cloud forest and pine-oak transition zones above 1,500 m.
Diet
Primarily frugivorous, feeding on berries, seeds, and fruit from mistletoes, wild cherries, and highland vegetation; also consumes leaves and insects seasonally.
Behaviour
Diurnal and arboreal, spending most time in canopy and mid-story vegetation; solitary or in pairs, moving deliberately through branches with occasional short flights. Most active during early morning and late afternoon.
Hunting tips
Look for droppings on leaf litter beneath fruiting trees and listen for their distinctive low calls at dawn. Approach quietly upslope through dense cover, using terrain folds and vegetation for concealment. Birds are skittish; move slowly and pause frequently to let them settle; approach from below or behind when possible, as they typically flee upslope.
Whole weight
This species is logged by whole weight — the animal weighed entire, as taken.
Where it is hunted
Listed as huntable in 1 country in Huntify.
Names in other languages
Current language: en
These field notes are general species knowledge, not legal advice. Always check the current seasons, quotas and firearm rules where you hunt.