Its reddish eye is surrounded by bare purple skin, its bill is dark gray with a black tip, and it has an orange dewlap.

[4] The white-winged guan is now found only in the departments of Lambayeque, Cajamarca, and Piura in northwestern Peru.

[4] The white-winged guan inhabits a very specialized landscape, small, forested ravines and nearby slopes on the west side of the Andes.

[4] The white-winged guan typically begins calling before dawn and at first light moves from overnight roosts to feed until about 9:00.

Fruits of Ficus figs and Cordia lutea are the most important part of the diet because they are available during most of the year.

[4] The white-winged guan is territorial and mated pairs stay together over successive years.

They construct a nest of twigs and leaves in vine-covered trees, typically about 2.5 m (8 ft) above the ground.

Several refuges have been created specifically to protect the species and reintroduction efforts have helped augment the current six to 10 locations that host the bird.