Current view: Data table and detailed info
Taxonomic note
Most closely related to C. rubra and C. alberti (Pereira and Baker 2004). Previously treated as a subspecies of latter. Form C. viridirostris, with green cere, is based on aberrant individual of present species or a hybrid between latter and another Crax (see C. alberti). Form C. incommoda was described from a rather unusual female specimen of present species. Monotypic.
Taxonomic source(s)
del Hoyo, J., Collar, N.J., Christie, D.A., Elliott, A. and Fishpool, L.D.C. 2014. HBW and BirdLife International Illustrated Checklist of the Birds of the World. Volume 1: Non-passerines. Lynx Edicions BirdLife International, Barcelona, Spain and Cambridge, UK.
IUCN Red List criteria met and history
Red List criteria met
Red List history
| Migratory status |
not a migrant |
Forest dependency |
medium |
| Land-mass type |
continent
|
Average mass |
- |
Population justification: Density descriptions vary greatly, ranging from 0.78-3.1 individuals/km2 in Colombia (Renjifo et al. 2016) to 80-160 individuals/km2 in riparian forest and 2.7-43.7 individuals/km2 in dry forest in Venezuela (Brooks 2006). The population in Colombia is estimated at roughly 2,200 individuals, equivalent to 1,500 mature individuals (Renjifo et al. 2016). Given that Colombia only covers a very small part of the range, the total population is likely substantially larger, exceeding 10,000 mature individuals.
Trend justification: This species has already lost vast areas of suitable habitat. In Venezuela, it currently occupies less than 50% of its historical distribution, and as little as 30% and 40% in the Cordillera de la Costa and Llanos respectively (Buchholz and Bertsch 2006). In Colombia, about 70% of its original habitat has disappeared (Renjifo et al. 2016), and the species is described as becoming less common in large parts of the range (del Hoyo and Kirwan 2020). In line with the drastic loss of occupied areas a continuing decline in population size is inferred.
Quantifying a rate of decline is difficult due to a lack of exact data on the impacts of hunting and habitat loss on the population size. Tree cover within the range has been lost at a rate of 13% (for >30% canopy cover) to 18% (for >75% canopy cover) over the past three generations (25.4 years; Global Forest Watch 2023, using Hansen et al. [2013] data and methods disclosed therein). Forest loss appears to be accelerating; based on annual losses for 2017-2022 tree cover loss could increase to a rate equivalent to 17-26% over the next years (Global Forest Watch 2023, using Hansen et al. [2013] data and methods disclosed therein). Apart from forests the species is also found in woodland and tall shrub, therefore tree cover loss alone may not drive equivalent population declines. Nevertheless, even though the extent of hunting remains unquantified, hunting pressure is generally described as high in this species, having already led to local extinctions in Venezuela (Renjifo et al. 2016, Hilty 2003). Consequently, the rate of population decline may in fact be higher than the rate of tree cover loss suggests. It is here tentatively placed in the band 20-29% over three generations, though a direct quantification is urgently required.
Country/territory distribution
Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBA)
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Species factsheet: Yellow-knobbed Curassow Crax daubentoni. Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/yellow-knobbed-curassow-crax-daubentoni on 23/12/2024.
Recommended citation for factsheets for more than one species: BirdLife International (2024) IUCN Red List for birds. Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/search on 23/12/2024.
