This large black bird bears a blue-gray helmet-like casque on its forehead. Pairs and small groups walk the floor of mature mountain forest in search of fruit and seeds.
It is mostly black, with a blue-gray casque on the forehead, red bill and legs, a white belly, and white at the tail tip. Some females are brown and barred.
Helmeted Curassows bear bluish casques and inhabit mountain forests in Colombia and Venezuela, often foraging near the ground.
A2006–2008 Tamá survey covered490km and produced40 sightings:32 on the ground, seven in the subcanopy and one in the canopy.
The southern study area was used during the dry season. Researchers highlighted hunting and removal of eggs and young as conservation concerns alongside habitat protection.
IUCN Red List · Vulnerable · Global
The February2023 IUCN assessment lists Vulnerable. Habitat loss and hunting for food and casque ornaments are threats. Protected-area populations, including Tamá, require habitat and breeding protection.