Ortalis erythroptera
The Rufous-headed Chachalaca (Ortalis erythroptera) is a striking, medium-sized cracid endemic to the Tumbesian region of southwestern Ecuador and northwestern Peru. Measuring approximately 56-66 cm (22-26 inches) in length and weighing between 550-650 g, this species is easily identified by its distinctive rufous (reddish-brown) head and neck, which contrasts sharply with its olive-brown back and reddish-brown primary and secondary wing feathers. Its underparts are a pale, whitish-buff, lead...
Found primarily in tropical dry forests, humid evergreen forest edges, secondary growth, and riparian zones, from lowland areas up to approximately 1800 meters (5,900 feet) in elevation.
The diet consists predominantly of fruits, seeds, flowers, and leaves from various plant species, supplemented occasionally with insects and other invertebrates. They forage by gleaning from vegetation and from the forest floor.
Rufous-headed Chachalacas are diurnal, largely arboreal but frequently descend to the ground to forage. They roost communally in trees at night, often in small family groups. Their foraging strategy involves gleaning fruits, leaves, and flowers from vegetation, employing an agile, hopping movemen...
The Rufous-headed Chachalaca is narrowly endemic to a specific region spanning southwestern Ecuador and northwestern Peru, entirely within the Tumbesian Endemic Region. In Ecuador, its range covers the Pacific lowlands and western foothills of the Andes, including parts of Guayas, Manabí, El Oro,...
Vulnerable
- The common name "Chachalaca" is an onomatopoeic representation of its distinctive, loud, and raucous calls, which are often given in a coordinated chorus by multiple individuals. - Unlike many cracids, which prefer deep, undisturbed forest, the Rufous-headed Chachalaca shows a higher tolerance ...