curassow

[ kyoor-uh-soh, kyoo-ras-oh ]

noun

1. any of several large, arboreal, gallinaceous birds of the family Cracidae, of South and Central America.

curassow

/ ˈkjʊərəˌsəʊ /

noun

1. any gallinaceous ground-nesting bird of the family Cracidae, of S North, Central, and South America. Curassows have long legs and tails and, typically, a distinctive crest of curled feathers See also guan

Word History and Origins

Origin of curassow¹

First recorded in 1675–85; after Curaçao

Word History and Origins

Origin of curassow¹

C17: anglicized variant of Curaçao (island)

Example Sentences

The two female chicks are blue-billed curassows, which are considered critically endangered, zoo officials said.

From Washington Post

The curassow, which looks somewhat similar to a chicken, whistles when it senses danger and prefers to run instead of fly.

From Literature

The zoo has welcomed two red-billed curassow chicks after they were incubated for 30 days.

From BBC

Today, he is just back from a solo hunt for the piglike peccary and a large bird called a curassow—traditional forest staples.

From Science Magazine

With so much global forest in close proximity to humans, larger forest animals such as chimpanzees, gorillas, tapirs or curassow birds are being hunted to extinction in individual areas.

From Scientific American