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Blue-throated Piping-guan


Blue-throated Piping-guan
Photo Information
Copyright: Peter van Zoest (PeterZ) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1104 W: 59 N: 2243] (7437)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2007-08-03
Categories: Birds
Camera: Nikon D70, AF Nikkor 70-300mm f4-5.6 G, Digital RAW
Exposure: f/4.2, 1/60 seconds
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2007-11-28 7:44
Viewed: 798
Points: 36
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
The Blue-throated Piping-guan, Aburria cumanensis (or Pipile cumanensis) is a South American bird of the family Cracidae that is somewhat similar in appearance to the turkey.

Composition, range and habitat
There are two subspecies. A. cumanensis cumanensis is found from the Guyanas, the Orinoco river in Venezuela, and southeastern Colombia south to northwestern (Amazonian) Brazil and southeastern Peru. There and possibly in northern Bolivia it intergrades with the bigger A. cumanensis grayi (Gray's Piping-guan), which continues through northern and central Bolivia, Mato Grosso State of Brazil, and northern and eastern Paraguay. This species occurs locally in forests: in Colombia and Venezuela, humid lowland forests (occasionally as high as 1000 meters) whether seasonally flooded or not, and riparian forests. It especially favors the edges where the forest meets open land or a river.

Description
The Blue-throated Piping-guan is described as "oddly 'prehistoric' (reptilian)" but "handsome". It averages 69 cm long, including its neck and tail, both long, the neck and head disproportionately thin and small, the tail disproportionately big. Most of the plumage is black with a greenish gloss—blue-green in cumanensis, olive in grayi. It has a large white patch on each wing, white flecks on the wing coverts and chest, a white patch over the eye, and a white or buffy-white nape (and upper neck in grayi). Both subspecies have a short white or buffy-white crest; in cumanensis it is shaggy and nearly solid-colored; in grayi it is hairier, and the feather shafts are black, appearing as streaks. The bill is baby-blue at the base and cobalt-blue at the tip. Both subspecies have blue bare flesh on the throat with a wattle in cumanensis and a hanging caruncle in grayi. The legs are red.

During the breeding season it is noisy. At dawn it gives a "piping" call of 6 or so slow high-pitched, clear whistles, "slightly ascending in pitch, püüeee, püüeee, püüeee,…", reminiscent of the Scale-backed Antbird. Its flight display, at dawn or in the daytime, includes "2 quick wing-claps (often barely audible), then 2 whirring rattles with wings," the second seeming to reverse the first as in shuffling cards (Colombia and Venezuela). At other seasons it is usually silent.

Behavior
This species occurs in pairs during the breeding season and bigger groups, as many as 12, at other times. It walks nimbly or hops with help from its wings in the canopy or sub-canopy of the forest, especially in trees with flowers or fruit that it eats. To cross clearings it sets off with fast wingbeats and then glides, giving another flurry of wingbeats if needed to maintain its height. Where not hunted it is fairly common and easy to see.
Little is known about its reproduction. In Colombia it has been observed in breeding condition in February and laying eggs in May. One nest was built of twigs in thick vegetation in the canopy and contained three yellowish-white eggs. (Partly Wikipedia)
fartash, gerbilratz, writerscrawlz, Jamesp, nglen, Argus, MMM, vanderschelden, Patleboss, JPlumb, SelenE, marhowie, EOSF1 has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

Hello Peter
Very intersting spieces to shoot,
Perfect focusing,colors and BG,Welldone.

Good Luck
Fartash

very interesting bird!! great information to go with this image..

Striking colors - great focus, and information I didn't know. Terrific notes.

  • Great 
  • Jamesp Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1205 W: 0 N: 4610] (13714)
  • [2007-11-28 10:24]

Hi Peter

You have managed to gets loads of wonderful South American bird shots. At first glance I thought it was some sort of Guinea Fowl - but then realised the continent was wrong! Great detail here.

James

  • Great 
  • nglen Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1895 W: 4 N: 5148] (19630)
  • [2007-11-28 10:50]

Hi Peter. Once again this is a bird i have never seen so thanks for posting. What a strange looking bird it is. you have captured the detail so well with good natural looking colours. so very well done TFS. good notes too
Nick..

  • Great 
  • Argus Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2487 W: 132 N: 7075] (22101)
  • [2007-11-28 12:10]

Hello Peter,
What an amazing place for birds the Iguazu Falls is!
This is a superb capture of this colourful species of Guan taken ina good pose, with fine sharpness, great low POV and in a pleasing composition.
Well done and TFS!
Ivan

  • Great 
  • MMM Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 737 W: 0 N: 1497] (6754)
  • [2007-11-28 14:40]

Hello Peter
Nice presentation of a species I had never seen before.Good POV and nice details and colors in your image.
TFS Michel

Hallo Peter,
Deze heb ik ook nog nooit gezien.
Goeie compo, dit ten voeten uit portret.
'Wel gedaan';-)
TFS
Annick

Still me Peter,
what an extraordinary bird with wonderfull colors, again a excellent shot with all qualities,
a great cheer,
Pat

  • Great 
  • Mana Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1675 W: 24 N: 4870] (15888)
  • [2007-11-29 0:31]

Hi Peter,
I have not been able to follow your recent shots, sorry about that. This is an outstanding shot of this beautiful bird with such lovely colours and markings on its body and plumage. Very impressive sharpness and the details captured are awesome. Excellent POV to portray it and very nicely composed. Kudos.
TFS.
Sumon

Wow, I thought we had some colourful birds in Australia. Very nice shot of this Blue-Throated Piping-Guan Peter. This is without a doubt the first time I've seen this species. It's description is very appropriate. You have provided a very clear shot for this first viewing by myself.

Thanks, John

  • Great 
  • SelenE Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2304 W: 59 N: 3674] (11774)
  • [2007-11-29 4:24]

Hi Peter,
Nice capture of this colorful beauty. Good POV, composition and details. TFS
Best wishes,
Selen

  • Great 
  • arfer Gold Star Critiquer [C: 2731 W: 0 N: 0] (0)
  • [2007-11-29 10:01]

Hello Peter

Another amazing exotic bird.There seems to be no limit to them.
The colours are vivid and bright.
Very good focus and sharpness.You have composed the shot well,witha very good POV.
Excellent eye contact and glint.
TFS

Rob

Hi Peter,

Nice shot of this very unusual looking bird. Nice and sharp, good colours and composition, but its the low pov that makes the picture work so well.

Kind regards,

Mike

hello peter, this birs looks quite different from the usual, liked the details of the plumage, well saturated colours, pleasing composition,
well done,
tfs & regards
pankaj

Interesting species Peter, great post & note :)
Good use of flash to expose this difficult B&W combo. Nice detail, POV, and well composed..
Well done,
Howard

  • Great 
  • EOSF1 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1292 W: 104 N: 4589] (20415)
  • [2007-12-01 15:02]

Hello Peter, another great bird from you ! Well composed and sharp image of that striking bird. The colors and markings of that Piping-guan are fantastic. Well done my friend !

Mario

  • Great 
  • joey Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1580 W: 242 N: 5278] (18595)
  • [2007-12-02 4:29]

Hi Peter,
sorry I forgot to update this critique!
Fantastic image of this beautiful bird.
++++ Great composition, pose and POV.
Good lighting and colours.
Excellent sharpness.
--- Some slight OE on the head but not a major problem :)
Well done,
Joe

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