Penelope purpurascens
Silhouette: Sheatherius · PhyloPic
In 3 days >90%
The crested guan (Penelope purpurascens) is a Near Threatened species in an ancient group of birds of the family Cracidae, which are related to the Australasian megapodes or mound builders (Megapodiidae). It is found from central Mexico through Central America and in Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela.
The crested guan is 76 to 91.5 cm (30 to 36 in) long and weighs about 1.6 to 2.4 kg (3.5 to 5.3 lb). Among standard measurements, its wing chord is 33 to 37 cm (13 to 15 in), its tail is 29 to 36 cm (11 to 14 in), and its tarsus is 6.5 to 8.6 cm (2.6 to 3.4 in). It is similar in general appearance to a turkey, with a small head, long strong legs, and a long broad tail. The sexes are similar. Adults of the nominate subspecies are mostly dusky olive brown and have a faint greenish or purplish iridescence. Their belly and crissum are chestnut and the breast and belly feathers have white edges. Their throat has some bristles and its loose skin dangles as a... Wikipedia →
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San José | 🇨🇷 Costa Rica |
| # | Zoo / Centre | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Yumka' | 🇲🇽 Mexico | |
| 2 | Curitiba Zoo | 🇧🇷 Brazil | |
| 3 | Africam Safari | 🇲🇽 Mexico | |
| 4 | Guadalajara Zoo | 🇲🇽 Mexico | |
| 5 | Aviario Nacional de Colombia | 🇨🇴 Colombia | |
| 6 | Safari Masai Mara | 🇲🇽 Mexico | |
| 7 | Zoológico de Vallarta | 🇲🇽 Mexico | |
| 8 | Santacruz zoo | 🇨🇴 Colombia | |
| 9 | Parque Zoobotânico Orquidário Municipal de Santos | 🇧🇷 Brazil | |
| 10 | ARCAS Petén Education Centre | 🇬🇹 Guatemala | |
| 11 | Emperor Valley Zoo | 🇹🇹 Trinidad & Tobago | |
| 12 | Parque museo La Venta | 🇲🇽 Mexico | |
| 13 | Biouniverzoo | 🇲🇽 Mexico | |
| 14 | La Aurora Zoo | 🇬🇹 Guatemala | |
| 15 | Zoológico Miguél Álvarez del Toro | 🇲🇽 Mexico |
Very likely
About 70% of wildlife watchers report a Crested Guan sighting in Arenal Volcano National Park on a given day, based on 12,617 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 6th most-seen of the 503 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to over 90%, if each day is a fresh chance.
January–April and October–November
In those months about 70% of wildlife watchers report a Crested Guan in Arenal Volcano National Park on a given day, against about 60% in May–September and December, the lowest months.
Between 8 and 11 am
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Crested Guan sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Yes
Of the 37 parks where we can rate Crested Guan sightings, Arenal Volcano National Park has the highest daily chance: about 70%. Next come Tenorio Volcano National Park (Costa Rica, about 50%) and Santa Rosa National Park (Costa Rica, about 40%). All parks ranked.
Same family: Cracidae
The closest relatives of the Crested Guan that you can see in Arenal Volcano National Park (family Cracidae, Guans, Chachalacas, and Curassows) are Great Curassow (about 50%) and Gray-headed Chachalaca (about 40%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Crested Guan is recorded against all the birds logged in Arenal Volcano National Park (12,617 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
