Crax fasciolata
Although the Bare-faced Curassow has not yet reached the criteria for endangered status worldwide, it is considered rare and threatened in Argentina where it occupies a small range in the extreme NE.
We housed a male with us at Reserva Don Luis from 2015 to 2019 as part of a reintroduction project. Sadly he passed away due to natural causes. . We understand that Rewilding Argentina now have a project to reintroduce this species.
Female Bare-faced Curassow
Male head and crest
This species has been extinct from the Ibera Marshes for many decades and finally we have one example at Reserva Don Luis. He is the first step of a reintroduction program and we hope to get a mate for him as well as obtain eggs for incubation.
This species is from the family Cracidae and measures abour 85cm in length. The male is predominantly black with pure white underparts. It has a black curly crest which it raises when alert. The tail is tipped white and the base of the bill is bright yellow.
The female is quite different and has cinnamon underparts barred with black, and a black and white curly crest. Upperparts are black barred with white.
The call is a soft call which resembles the Argentine name of ‘Muitu’
The species is classed as Vulnerable in the IUCN redlist and is considered rare and threatened in Argentina.
History of 'Tito' our Bare-faced Curassow
Finally we have an example of the Bare-faced Curassow – the first in Corrientes for many decades.We were asked by Parque Ecologico El Puma if we could house this endangered species after his enclosure was destroyed during a storm and his mate was killed. Tito, as we have named him, was remarkably calm during his 2 hour drive from Posadas in Missiones. Even when we transported him by tractor to his final destination, the purpose built aviary in Monte Grande, he did not panic. Since then he has adapted to his new surroundings extremely well and is partial to grapes. We are looking for a female for him as well as other examples to further our reintroduction project.
Sadly Tito died in November 2019, having spent a good 3 years and 7 months with us. We all miss him a lot!
