During mating season, male blue-billed curassows puff up their chests and make a low booming call to attract females.

Males are typically larger than a female with an inky black feathers and a white underside. Females are black with thin black and white striping on their wings and a brown underside. Both males and females have curly black feathers atop their crest and blue cere, the fleshy material at the base of their beak.