Nocturnal Curassow
Nothocrax urumutum
The Nocturnal Curassow (Nothocrax urumutum) is a rare guans, curassows, and chachalaca found in 5 countries, weighing about 1.7 kg. The nocturnal curassow is a species of bird in the family Cracidae, the chachalacas, guans, and curassows.


About the Nocturnal Curassow
The nocturnal curassow is a species of bird in the family Cracidae, the chachalacas, guans, and curassows. It is found in Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
The nocturnal curassow is the smallest curassow at 50 to 57.5 cm (1.6 to 1.9 ft) long. One bird weighed 1,250 g (2.8 lb). It is also unique with its mostly rufous and chestnut plumage, as other curassows are mostly black. Its crest is flat and blackish, its ventral area buffy, and the tips of its tail feathers are paler than the rest. Its brownish-orange eye is surrounded by bare skin, greenish-yellow above and black below. The bill is reddish-orange and the legs gray. Voice: The nocturnal curassow sings only at night, primarily on clear dark nights in dry weather. Its song is "a series of seven, low-pitched, highly resonant notes...rendered 'hmm-hmm-hmmmm, hmm hmm-hmmm, hmmph!'." Sometimes several birds will counter-sing.
Where it lives
When to see it
Best months: January, February, March, April, May, July, August, September, October, November, December, with peak activity in January. It is a resident species across most of its range.
Easily confused with
Quick questions
- How do you identify a Nocturnal Curassow?
- The nocturnal curassow is the smallest curassow at 50 to 57.5 cm (1.6 to 1.9 ft) long. Full identification notes are on this page.
- How big is a Nocturnal Curassow?
- The Nocturnal Curassow is a huge sized bird weighing about 1.7 kg.
- Where can you see a Nocturnal Curassow?
- The Nocturnal Curassow occurs in 5 countries, including Ecuador, Colombia, Peru, Brazil and Venezuela.
- What birds look similar to a Nocturnal Curassow?
- The Nocturnal Curassow is most easily confused with the Salvin's Curassow, the Baudo Guan and the Blue-billed Curassow.
- Is the Nocturnal Curassow endangered?
- The Nocturnal Curassow is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
Learn the Nocturnal Curassow for real
BeakBrain drills you on photos and calls until you can greet this bird by name in the field. Free to play, on any device.
Play BeakBrainEvery photo and recording on this page is credited to its author under the licence shown. Spotted a problem with this page, or have a better photo? Contribute.