Plain Chachalaca
Ortalis vetula
They are named after their loud, four-syllable call which sounds like 'cha-cha-lac-a', often performed in synchronized duets or group choruses.
- Scientific name
- Ortalis vetula
- Taxonomy
- Animalia › Chordata › Aves › Galliformes › Cracidae › Ortalis
- IUCN Red List status
- Least Concern
- Population trend
- stable
- Biome
- forest
- Habitat
- Subtropical brushlands, riverine woodlands, and dense thickets.
- Diet
- Omnivorous, primarily consuming fruits like figs and berries, along with leaves, buds, and occasional insects.
- Range
- Southern Texas, Mexico, Central America
- Size
- 50-58 cm in length; weight 430-800g.
- Lifespan
- 8-10 years
- Active
- diurnal
- Threats
- Habitat loss due to agriculture and urbanization, though they are relatively adaptable to fragmented brush.
- Safe to approach?
- Harmless and shy. Observe from a distance to hear their iconic calls. If encountered, avoid sudden movements to prevent startling them. They pose no physical threat to humans.
The plain chachalaca ( Ortalis vetula ) is a large bird in the chachalaca, guan and curassow family Cracidae. It breeds in tropical and subtropical environments from mezquital thickets in the Rio Grande Valley in southernmost Texas, United States to northernmost Costa Rica. In Central America, this species occurs in the Pacific lowlands from Chiapas, Mexico to northern Nicaragua and as a separate population in Costa Rica, where its range is separated by a short distance, as a...
Photo: Tia Offner, CC-BY, via iNaturalist
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