Chaco Chachalaca

Overview

The Chaco chachalaca (Ortalis canicollis) is a species of bird in the family Cracidae. It is classified as Least Concern by the IUCN and is generally common throughout its range in South America.

Identification

• Size of 50 to 56 cm in length, weighing between 479 and 678 g.
• Nominate subspecies features a gray head, back, and breast with a tan to brown belly and bare pinkish red skin around the eye.
• The pantanalensis subspecies is browner with more purplish facial skin.
• Principal vocalization is a harsh, raucous 'chata-ra-ta' or complex sequence heard in the early morning, alongside alarm calls like a 'chack' and a low-pitched upslurred whistle.

Habitat

This species inhabits a variety of landscapes, including lowland swamp forest and scrub, dry subtropical forest, semi-deciduous and gallery forest, and palm groves. Its range covers the Gran Chaco of eastern Bolivia, western Paraguay, and northern Argentina, as well as southwestern Brazil, with unconfirmed reports in neighboring regions.

Diet

The Chaco chachalaca typically forages in small groups in tree crowns, though it feeds on the ground in areas with little undergrowth. Its diet consists primarily of fruits and leaves year round, with invertebrates, especially caterpillars, added when they are seasonally abundant.

Did you know?

In Argentina, groups of up to 150 individuals have been observed feeding in agricultural land far from cover. Additionally, the nest is a small loose platform of sticks and stems that the female alone uses to incubate the clutch.