Ortalis canicollis
The Chaco Chachalaca (Ortalis canicollis) is a medium-sized, neotropical gamebird belonging to the family Cracidae, which also includes guans and curassows. Measuring approximately 50-56 cm (20-22 inches) in length and weighing between 450-600 grams, its plumage is characterized by a distinctive plain gray head and neck that contrasts with an olive-brown back, wings, and a long, broad tail often glossed with green. Its underparts are whitish, sometimes becoming buffy on the belly, and a diagn...
Found primarily in dry deciduous woodlands, chaco scrub, and gallery forests along rivers, often preferring areas with dense undergrowth. It occupies low to moderate elevations, typically below 1000 meters.
Primarily herbivorous, consuming a diverse array of fruits, seeds, leaves, and flowers gleaned directly from plants. They will occasionally supplement their diet with insects and small invertebrates.
Chaco Chachalacas are diurnal, active from dawn to dusk, often exhibiting crepuscular activity at sunrise and sunset when their calls are most prominent. They are primarily arboreal, moving agilely through tree branches, though they do descend to the ground to forage. Family groups or pairs maint...
The Chaco Chachalaca is endemic to the Gran Chaco biome and surrounding regions of south-central South America. Its breeding range extends across eastern Bolivia, central and western Paraguay, southwestern Brazil (specifically in the state of Mato Grosso do Sul), and northern Argentina. In Argent...
Least Concern
- The name "chachalaca" is an onomatopoeia, directly mimicking the bird's loud, rhythmic call. - Unlike many gamebirds, Chaco Chachalacas are largely arboreal, spending most of their time in trees and shrubs. - Their young are precocial (nidifugous), meaning they are relatively mature and mobile,...