Cracidae
Guans
Family recognized by
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General Description
Diversity
Source and Additional Information
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Copyright
Editor
Alaine Camfield, Animal Diversity Web
Source URL
Citation
Howard, L. 2004. "Cracidae" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed October 25, 2009 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Cracidae.html.
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Cracidae comprises 11 genera and 50 species. Taxa within Cracidae are commonly referred to as curassows (Nothocrax, Mitu, Pauxi, Crax), guans (Penelope, Pipile, Aburria, Chamaepetes, Penelopina, Oreophasis) or chachalacas (Ortalis). Cracids are large, blunt-winged birds with long, broad tails. Many species have ornaments (crests or casques) on the head or bill. Cracids are mostly forest dwelling arboreal birds. Unlike many other taxa within Galliformes, many cracids provide parental care to young. Cracids may play an important role as seed dispersers and seed predators in Neotropical forests. (Campbell and Lack, 1985; Monroe and Sibley, 1993; Santamaria and Franco, 2000; Sibley and Ahlquist, 1990)
References
- Campbell, B., E. Lack. 1985. A Dictionary of Birds. Vermillion: Buteo Books.
- Sibley, C., J. Ahlquist. 1990. Phylogeny and Classification of Birds, A study in Molecular Evolution. New Haven: Yale University Press.
- Monroe, B., C. Sibley. 1993. A World Checklist of Birds. Ann Arbor: Edwards Brothers Inc.
- Santamaria, M., A. Franco. 2000. Frugivory of Salvin's curassow in a rainforest of the Colombian Amazon. Wilson Bulletin, 112(4): 473-481.
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"Cracidae". Encyclopedia of Life, available from "http://www.eol.org/pages/7600". Accessed
22 Mar 2010.
