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Bird name:

Plain Chachalaca

Ortalis vetulaOrder: GALLIFORMES Family: Chachalaca (Cracidae)

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

Head

Topo Map: Perching-like Head

Bill Shape: Curved (up or down)
Eye Color: Varied shades, from light to dark brown.
Head Pattern: Plain
Crown Color: Gray
Forehead Color: Gray
Nape Color: Gray
Throat Color: Brown with bare loose red skin.
Cere color: No Data

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Body

Topo Map: Perching-like Body

Length Range: 56 cm (22 in)
Weight: 589 g (20.8 oz)
Size: Size 4. Large (16 - 32 in)
Color: Green, Gray, Olive, Buff
Underparts: Pale red-brown
Upperparts: Brown
Back Pattern: Solid
Belly Pattern: Solid
Breast Pattern: Solid

Flight

Topo Map: Perching-like Flight

Flight Pattern: Alternates powerful flaps with glides, short flights.
Wingspan Range: 66 cm (26 in)
Wing Shape: Rounded-Wings
Tail Shape: Rounded Tail
Tail Pattern: Solid with white corners.
Upper Tail: Black with white tip.
Under Tail: Pale red-brown
Leg Color: Gray

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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

Perching-like Head

Perching-like Body

Perching-like Flight

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

Plain Chachalaca

Head

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Body

Flight

Plain Chachalaca

Flight Pattern