Razor-billed Curassow

The razor-billed curassow is 83–89cm long. Its plumage is mostly black with a strong purplish-blue gloss, the lower belly and under-tail coverts are chestnut, and the tail feathers have white tips. It has a tall, ragged crest and a large, bright red bill that is compressed from side to side, which gives the species its name (Wikipedia, general species account). It averages about 2.8kg (AVONET, Tobias et al. 2022).

It usually forages alone or in pairs on the forest floor, mainly on fallen fruit, and also takes leaves, insects, fungi and small vertebrates (Wikipedia; EltonTraits, Wilman et al. 2014). It may be polygynous, possibly regularly. In northern Peru the nesting season runs from November to February, and one nest was a round cup of branches, lianas and leaves; the clutch is two or three eggs (Wikipedia, general species account). It sings a series of deep booming notes from a perch, most often before dawn and during the breeding season, and it also gives rising whistles and popping notes (Wikipedia). Heavy hunting pressure is named as the main threat to it (Wikipedia, general species account).