Guira

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for the musical instrument, see güira

Guira

Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Cuculiformes
Family:	Cuculidae
Genus:	Guira Lesson, 1830
Species:	G. guira

Binomial name

Guira guira
(Gmelin, 1788)

The guira (Guira guira) is a cuckoo related to anis. It is one of the most common birds of Brazil, absent only from the continuous forest of Amazonia.

It has a hirsute orangey crest and measures 40 cm.^[1] Like its cousins the anis, the guira gives off a strong, pungent odour.^[1]

1 Nutrition
2 Behaviour
3 Nidification
4 References
5 Gallery

[edit] Nutrition

The guira feeds on big arthropods, frogs, small birds and small mammals such as mice.

[edit] Behaviour

The guira goes about on the ground, usually in flocks of 6 to 18 individuals, with other birds such as the Chalk-browed mockingbird (Mimus saturninus) and the Smooth-billed Ani (Crotophaga ani) whose behaviour is very similar.

They live in groups but have the tendency to form pairs.

[edit] Nidification

The nest is built on a tree fork 5 metres from the ground. The eggs (from 5 to 7) are dark green and covered with a chalky layer. They are incubated either in individual or community nests; in the latter one can find up to 20 eggs. Under community nests there are many broken eggs. The competition between young being great, mortality is significant.

[edit] References

BirdLife International (2004). Guira guira. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. Retrieved on 10 May 2006. Database entry includes justification for why this species is of least concern
Guiera at Zoo Basel / Switzerland including map.