Birds of the World

    GALLIFORMES: Cracidae (Chachalacas, Curassows, Guans)  
Genus: Ortalis (16 species)

Chachalacas (genus Ortails) are gamebirds found in 'New World' tropical forests. Chachalacas are in the same order as guans and curassow (Cracidae), but are smaller. Most species travel in groups, and are quite loud.


East Brazilian Chachalaca
East Brazilian Chachalaca (Ortalis araucuan)
Range: SA: e Brazil
Parque da Cidade Dom Nivaldo Monte, Natal, Brazil  
   
Photograph by Rodrigo Conte   © All Rights Reserved.


Chaco Chachalaca
Chaco Chachalaca (Ortalis canicollis pantanalensis)
Range: SA: c
Pousada Rio Claro, Pantanal, Brazil  
   
Photograph by Tom Friedel   © All Rights Reserved.


Grey-headed Chachalaca
Grey-headed Chachalaca (Ortalis cinereiceps)
Range: MA, SA: Honduras to n Colombia
Valle de Anton, Panama  
   
Photograph by Tom Friedel   © All Rights Reserved.


Colombian Chachalaca
Colombian Chachalaca (Ortalis columbiana)
Range: SA: nc Colombia
Huila, Colombia  
   
Photograph by Tom Friedel   © All Rights Reserved.

Most closely related to the Speckled Chachalaca which also has a scaled chest. Chachalacas further north (Grey-headed Chachalaca, Plain Chachalaca, Rufous-vented Chachalaca, Chestnut-winged Chachalaca) are not scaled. The species is found only in Magdalena and Cauca valley at most altitudes, and does not overlap with the Speckled Chachalaca (and also has no speckles).

Rufous-headed Chachalaca
Rufous-headed Chachalaca (Ortalis erythroptera) Vulnerable
Range: SA: w Ecuador and nw Peru
Buenaventura, El Oro, Ecuador  
   
Photograph by Tropical Birding (Nick Athanas)   © All Rights Reserved.



Chestnut-winged Chachalaca
Chestnut-winged Chachalaca (Ortalis garrula)
Range: SA: nw Colombia
Colombia  
   
Photograph by Manakin Nature Tours - Luis Urueña   © All Rights Reserved.

Very similar to Grey-headed Chachalaca, but entire head is chestnut.
Distinctive chestnut head closeup.

Speckled Chachalaca
Speckled Chachalaca (Ortalis guttata guttata)
Range: SA: Amazonia
Villa Carmen, Pilcopata, Peru  
   
Photograph by Tom Friedel   © All Rights Reserved.


White-bellied Chachalaca
White-bellied Chachalaca (Ortalis leucogastra)
Range: MA: s Mexico to Nicaragua
Ecoparque El Espino, El Salvador  
   
Photograph by Alex Navarro   © All Rights Reserved.


Little Chachalaca
Little Chachalaca (Ortalis motmot)
Range: SA: n Amazonia
French Guiana
  Note red head.
   
Photograph by Michel GIRAUD-AUDINE   © All Rights Reserved.


West Mexican Chachalaca
West Mexican Chachalaca (Ortalis poliocephala)
Range: MA: w and sw Mexico
Mexico  
   
Photograph by Nigel from Vancouver     Copyright and usage info


Rufous-vented Chachalaca
Rufous-vented Chachalaca (Ortalis ruficauda ruficauda)
Range: SA: Colombia and Venezuela
Hato Aurora, Casanare, Colombia
  Note lack of streaking or scales.
   
Photograph by Tom Friedel   © All Rights Reserved.


No Image
Chestnut-headed Chachalaca (Ortalis ruficeps)
Range: SA: nc Brazil
   



Scaled Chachalaca
Scaled Chachalaca (Ortalis squamata)
Range: SA: se Brazil
Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil  
   
Photograph by Cláudio D. Timm     Copyright and usage info


Buff-browed Chachalaca
Buff-browed Chachalaca (Ortalis superciliaris)
Range: SA: ne Brazil
Brazil  
   
Photograph by Ciro Albano - NE Brazil Birding   © All Rights Reserved.


Plain Chachalaca
Plain Chachalaca (Ortalis vetula mccalli)
Range: NA, MA: s Texas to nw Costa Rica
Frontera Audubon Center, Weslaco, Texas, United States  
   
Photograph by dfaulder     Copyright and usage info


Rufous-bellied Chachalaca
Rufous-bellied Chachalaca (Ortalis wagleri)
Range: MA: nw and w Mexico
La Bajada, Nayarit, Mexico
  Much browner and redder than other Mexican species.
   
Photograph by Nigel Voaden   © All Rights Reserved.



© Tom Friedel - All Rights Reserved, except for images and data otherwise noted.       Colombia       Panama       Ecuador       Costa Rica       Mexico
Experimental sites:       Peru       Venezuela       The World       Brazil       Bolivia
Really Experimental sites:       Guyana       Cuba