Black Curassow
Crax alector
The black curassow, also known as the smooth-billed curassow and the crested curassow, is a species of bird in the family Cracidae, the chachalacas, guans, and curassows. It is found in humid forests in northern South America in Colombia, Venezuela, the Guianas including Suriname, and far northern Brazil, and is introduced to Bahamas, Cuba, Jamaica, Haiti, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico and Lesser Antilles.
14
Countries
Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC) via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_curassow
Taxonomy & Classification
Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Chordata
Class
Aves
Order
Galliformes
Family
Cracidae
Genus
Crax
Black Curassow belongs to the family Cracidae, order Galliformes, within the Aves class.
Species Profile
The black curassow, also known as the smooth-billed curassow and the crested curassow, is a species of bird in the family Cracidae, the chachalacas, guans, and curassows. It is found in humid forests in northern South America in Colombia, Venezuela, the Guianas including Suriname, and far northern Brazil, and is introduced to Bahamas, Cuba, Jamaica, Haiti, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico and Lesser Antilles. It is the only Crax curassow where the male and female cannot be separated by plumage, as both are essentially black with a white crissum, and have a yellow or orange-red cere.
The Black Curassow faces significant pressure from habitat loss due to deforestation and agricultural expansion throughout its Amazonian range. Hunting pressure for subsistence and commercial purposes has severely reduced populations in accessible areas, while fragmentation of remaining forest blocks limits breeding success and population connectivity.
Key Facts
Habitat & Distribution
Inhabits primary and secondary tropical rainforests of the Amazon Basin, preferring dense lowland forests with closed canopy and minimal human disturbance. The species requires large territories with abundant fruiting trees and is typically found in areas below 500 meters elevation.
Threats
Agricultural expansion
Deforestation and habitat loss
Hunting pressure
Forest fragmentation
Human settlement encroachment
Found in 14 Countries
Community Sightings
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Sources & Attribution
How to Cite
IUCN: IUCN (2025). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2025-1. Available at: https://www.iucnredlist.org. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2025-1.RLTS
GBIF: GBIF.org (2025). GBIF Home Page. Available at: https://www.gbif.org
This page: SpeciesRadar (2025). Black Curassow (Crax alector). SpeciesRadar: Intelligence for Earth's Biodiversity. Available at: https://speciesradar.org/species/black-curassow