guan

plural guans

1. Any (member) of several species of birds in the genera Aburria, Chamaepetes, Oreophasis, Penelope, Penelopina, and Pipile, of the family Cracidae, limited to the Americas.

   The Crested Guan is a large, brown, turkeylike bird most frequently seen peering down from the treetops as it searches for fruit and leaves that make up its diet. As its name implies, this bird has a feathered crest that is frequently raised as it relates to nearby guans or to potential danger.

   2010, Carrol L. Henderson, Birds of Costa Rica: A Field Guide, page 40

   2 more examples

   The 'true' (Penelope) guans also occur at a range of altitudes but like most species of cracids, are mostly restricted to forest, both montane and lowland. Piping-guans (Pipile) are primarily lowland species, whereas numerous monospecific (single-species genus) taxa of guans (i.e. Aburria, Penelopina, Oreophasis) are restricted to montane environments.

   2000, Daniel M. Brooks, Stuart D. Strahl, Curassows, Guans and Chachalacas: With Spanish and Portuguese Translations, page 8

   Most guans move among only the most rewarding trees, those having the largest fruit crops and/or the greatest reward per fruit. Nevertheless, solitary individuals and some guan groups - as well as the first-mentioned guans, once they deplete the fruit crops in the most popular trees - are stuck with the less rewarding trees.

   2002, Kent H. Redford, Peter Feinsinger, “17: The half-empty forest: sustainable use and the ecology of interactions”, in John D. Reynolds, editor, Conservation of Exploited Species, page 381

plural Guans

1. A surname.