Fun Grey-winged Trumpeters Facts For Kids

The grey-winged trumpeter is a terrestrial bird that looks a lot like a guinea fowl, mainly black in color with a humped back and decurved bill. It has gray tertial wings and a purplish-blue underbody with a bronze neck and bluish-gray feet. These birds are non-migratory and are able to survive all the seasonal changes in their habitat. They live in flocks of six to eight individuals during the non-breeding season and feed on insects and fruit. They are capable of flying but spend most of their time scraping the forest floor for food and perching on trees to roost only during the night. Their name is rooted in the kind of vocalizations they produce. They grunt when threatened or startled otherwise they produce a loud call with six to eight low humming notes. These trumpeters are polyandrous and mate with one or more than one partner. Their eggs are incubated by each adult member of their small family. The female lays around three to four white eggs in a nest which they build in hollow trees. These birds need to be looked after as they are the most sensitive to hunting.

Follow this article to learn more about grey-winged trumpeters. For more relatable content, check out these trumpeter swan facts and swan goose facts for kids.

What type of animal is a grey-winged trumpeter?

A grey-winged trumpeter (Psophia crepitans) is a kind of bird which typically belongs to South America.

What class of animal does a grey-winged trumpeter belong to?

A grey-winged trumpeter belongs to class Aves and order Gruiformes of the animal kingdom.

How many grey-winged trumpeters are there in the world?

There is no exact number to indicate their population. These birds will soon become threatened due to rapid industrialization resulting in deforestation. They are one of the most vulnerable bird species.

Where does a grey-winged trumpeter live?

A grey-winged trumpeter (Psophia crepitans) lives in the northern range of the Amazon River in tropical South America. This bird breeds in northern Peru, Brazil, and Guyana.

What is a grey-winged trumpeter's habitat?

The habitat of these birds mainly includes moist forests and lowlands and areas which are far away from human civilization.

Who do grey-winged trumpeters live with?

A grey trumpeter roams around the forest floor in a flock of four to seven trumpeters.

How long does a grey-winged trumpeter live?

A trumpeter can have a lifespan of maximum 24 years. A grey-winged trumpeter can have a similar span unless it is hunted or killed by other predators.

How do they reproduce?

These birds are polyandrous and are found to perform noisy crane-like dances while courting.  Males flap their wings twice or thrice, strut, and somersault to attract a female. These signs are displayed by both males and females of this species but mostly by males. These birds form their nests in hollow or dead trees in the forests. The female trumpeter lays around three to four white eggs which are incubated by each member of their small family alternatively.

What is their conservation status?

The conservation status of these birds is listed as Near Threatened by the IUCN. These are passive fliers and have the least predatory instincts. This makes them a common target for hunters who capture them to sell their beautiful velvety feathers to the fashion industry.

What do grey-winged trumpeters look like?

These birds from tropical South America resemble fowls and cranes due to their physical characteristics. They have a tall body, mainly black, with a gray plumage and velvety feathers. Their feet are bluish-gray, the neck has a bronze color, and they have dark brown eyes. These birds also have a bill, just like domesticated chickens. A grey-winged trumpeter has a yellowish beak, a thin neck and, a not so vividly colorful belly. There is no difference in appearances of a male and female, unlike other birds.

How cute are they?

This bird species is fairly cute. They have a body rich in aesthetic colors which makes them a sight to watch. They are not aggressive and can play with humans.

How do they communicate?

As their name suggests, this bird can make low humming songs, strange cries, and display courtship dances prior to breeding as a way to express themselves. They strut their wings and somersault to attract the female during the breeding season.

How big is a grey-winged trumpeter?

They are 17.2-21.2 in (43.7-53.8 cm) in size, two times bigger than an American kestrel.

How fast can a grey-winged trumpeter move?

These are not good fliers but can run fast when needed.  

How much does a grey-winged trumpeter weigh?

The approximate weight of this bird is 2.9 lb (1.3 kg).

What are their male and female names of the species?

This species of bird is not categorized by distinct names based on sex. A male and female bird are called the common name of grey-winged trumpeter.

What would you call a baby grey-winged trumpeter?

The baby of a grey-winged trumpeter is called a chick.

What do they eat?

This bird generally feeds on insects and fruit it finds across the forest. Since it is a ground dweller, it looks for fruits that fall from trees. It also eats berries, grasshoppers, spiders, termites, and centipedes.

Are they dangerous?

Calling them dangerous would not be a fair thing to say. These birds of class Aves and order Gruiformes are majestically beautiful and peaceful birds. They are silent unless they are disturbed and if someone tries to surpass their territory, they produce strange cries and strut their feathers, but do nothing extraordinarily villainous.

Would they make a good pet?

They will make a good pet. In fact, a lot of native South Americans keep them as pets as they have the vocals to generate loud warning calls and can make its owner aware of any unwanted trespassing.

Did you know...

Fruit-eating trumpeters help in dispersing fruit trees in the forests as they pass out the fruit seed intact in their fecal matter.

These birds mark their territory in the forest by following a certain trail left behind by an alert trumpeter or any other bird.

What does the grey-winged trumpeter's call sound like?

A trumpeter's song is a low humming sound whereas its call is a loud crackling sound and strange cries through which it obtains its name.

What is the grey-winged trumpeter's population?

These birds are Nearly Threatened as listed by the IUCN. They are popular targets for hunters as they cannot fly and are easy to capture. They kill them to commercialize their feathers and as the destruction of the forests along the northern range of the Amazon River and South American states increases, this species might go extinct. A few countries in South America have begun to construct sanctuaries to keep them safe.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! Learn more about some other birds from our pileated woodpecker facts and Gila woodpecker facts pages.

You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one of our free printable grey-winged trumpeter coloring pages.