The turquey of the northern forests of Peru shows white ends in its dark wings, without relevant differences between the female and the male. During a lot of years this birds seem to be disappeared and some people thought it was extinguished. The turkey consumption in this area of Peru is very popular what made this specie to decrease in population. The loggings with the eagerness to obtain coal and the slow reproduction cycle of this bird have also contributed to the population decrease of the Penelope. Happily in the sixties it was refound.

This bird has grey peak with a black end. Its naked face is pinky. It has a large tail, pinky legs and the throat without feathers is orange. Its plumage is black. Its size is between 70 and 80 cms and weights approximately 2 kg.

Currently there are a few specimens, no more than 400 in the north of Peru, so some parameters for its preservation have been established and they are being reproduced in captivity in the coast.

There are turkeys in the areas of Piura, Cajamarca and Lambayeque, and in the coast area with a wideness of 180 km. from the sea to the Andes. The law number 28049, established by the Peruvian Congress protects it, forbiddes its hunting and indicates its preservation. Penelope albipennis, popularly known as “white wing turkey” is a black gallinaceous who likes to remain in the tree branches. The sun make appears green brights in its plumage, highlighting the white ends in its wings to differentiate from other turkeys.

Taxonomy:

• Class: Bird
• Order: Gallinaceous
• Family: Cracidae
• Genre: Penelope
• Specie: P. albipennis