Plain Chachalaca

Ortalis vetulaOrder: GALLIFORMES Family: Chachalaca (Cracidae)

Codes: Common Name: PLCH Scientific Name: ORTVET ITIS Taxonomic No.: 175716

Breeding Location:

Forest edge

Breeding Type:

Monogamous

Breeding Population:

Common in range

Egg Color:

Dull or creamy white

Number of Eggs:

2 - 4

Incubation Days:

22 - 25

Egg Incubator:

Female

Nest Material:

Twigs, spanish moss, green leaves, vines

Migration:

Nonmigratory

General

Plain Chachalaca: Loud and gregarious, pheasant-like bird. Drab in color with gray head, olive-brown back, buff belly, dark tail with green gloss. Male shows bright red gular stripe during courtship displays.

Range and Habitat

Plain Chachalaca: Found primarily in Mexico and the Neotropics. Extends into the U.S. in southern Texas along the lower Rio Grande valley. Inhabits forested areas, particularly early successional and forest edges, thorn scrub, and brushy thickets.

Breeding and Nesting

Plain Chachalaca: Monogamous and territorial. Both sexes build nest of twigs, spanish moss, green leaves, and vines on old nests of smaller species. Female incubates two to four creamy or dull white eggs for 22 to 25 days while male stays close and defends territory.

Foraging and Feeding

Plain Chachalaca: Moves through shrubs and trees often creeping squirrel-like. Consumes a variety of leaves, buds, seeds, flowers, and fruits, occasionally insects. Readily comes to feeding stations. Shows preference for cracked corn and milo.

Readily Eats

Cracked Corn, Milo

Vocalization

Plain Chachalaca: Very loud. Named for its loud call "cha cha lak", or "KLOK aTOK aTOK." Makes a variety of other gutteral vocalizations including soft "krrr" call.

Similar Species

None in North America

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Bird Call Credits: The Macaulay Library of Natural Sounds at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Martyn Stewart, http://www.naturesound.org, Redmond, Washington USA. The reuse or copying of bird calls in this database is strictly forbidden.

Plain Chachalaca

Plain Chachalaca: Loud, phesant-like bird. Drab in color with gray head, olive-brown back, buff belly, dark tail with green gloss. Male shows bright red gular stripe during courtship displays. Feeds on insects, fruits, berries, seeds, leaves and buds. Alternates rapid stiff wing beats with glides.

● Song: "cha cha lac", "KLOK aTOK aTOK", "krrrr"

● Foraging & Feeding: Plain Chachalaca: Moves through shrubs and trees often creeping squirrel-like. Consumes a variety of leaves, buds, seeds, flowers, and fruits, occasionally insects. Readily comes to feeding stations. Shows preference for cracked corn and milo.

● Breeding & nesting: Plain Chachalaca: Monogamous and territorial. Both sexes build nest of twigs, spanish moss, green leaves, and vines on old nests of smaller species. Female incubates two to four creamy or dull white eggs for 22 to 25 days while male stays close and defends territory.

● Similar species: None in North America

Flight Pattern

Alternates powerful flaps with glides, short flights.

● Range & Habitat: Plain Chachalaca: Found primarily in Mexico and the Neotropics. Extends into the U.S. in southern Texas along the lower Rio Grande valley. Inhabits forested areas, particularly early successional and forest edges, thorn scrub, and brushy thickets.

^BreedingMonogamous

^PopulationCommon in range

^MigrationNonmigratory

^Weight20.8 Ounces

Belly

The ventral part of the bird, or the area between the flanks on each side and the crissum and breast. Flight muscles are located between the belly and the breast.

Gular

The area between the chin and the foreneck.

4 and 6 letter alpha codes

The four letter common name alpha code is is derived from the first two letters of the common first name and the first two letters of common last name. The six letter species name alpha code is derived from the first three letters of the scientific name (genus) and the first three letters of the scientific name (species). See (1) below for the rules used to create the codes..

Four-letter (for English common names) and six-letter (for scientific names) species alpha codes were developed by Pyle and DeSante (2003, North American Bird-Bander 28:64-79) to reflect A.O.U. taxonomy and nomenclature (A.O.U. 1998) as modified by Supplements 42 (Auk 117:847-858, 2000) and 43 (Auk 119:897-906, 2002). The list has been updated by Pyle and DeSante to reflect changes reported by the A.O.U from 2003 through 2006.

Field Guide to Birds of North America