Biology

The red-billed curassow spends most of its time on the ground where it forages for food, usually in pairs or small family groups of up to four birds (2). Foods taken include fallen fruits, tender leaves, seeds, buds and insects (2) (4). The main breeding season is from September to October, when the males' booming calls can most often be heard, with chicks hatching over the next few months (4). Although polygamous behaviour has been observed, this may be the result of uneven hunting pressure between the sexes (2) (4). The nest is a platform of twigs and sticks, placed in a tree between two and six metres above the ground, into which one to four, typically two, eggs are laid and incubated for 28 days (2) (4). A female attains sexual maturity in her second or third year, and remains fertile for at least 11 years (2).