#chachalaca

[herpsandbirds]

Rufous-bellied Chachalacas (Ortalis wagleri), in nuptial display, family Cracidae, order Galliformes, San Blas, Nayarit, Mexico

photograph by Greg Homel

[todaysbird]

today's bird is this very brave and curious chachalaca

[birdstudies]

October 2, 2025 - Rufous-headed Chachalaca (Ortalis erythroptera) Found in parts of Ecuador, Peru, and Colombia, these chachalacas live in forests, scrub, and cultivated areas. They feed on fruit and possibly leaves, foraging mostly in small groups of two to seven birds. While little is known about their nesting behavior, they probably breed from January to May and lay clutches of three eggs. They are classified as Vulnerable by the IUCN due to ongoing population decline from habitat destruction and hunting.

[critter-creature-or-beast]

This is a...

critter

creatures

beast

Voting ended onMay 4, 2025

By Cloned Milkmen from Canada - BirdUploaded by Snowmanradio, CC BY-SA 2.0

[chuck-wills-widow]

Plain Chachalaca (Ortalis vetula) November, Rio Grande Valley, TX USA

sits

[have-you-seen-this-animal]

could you a chachalaca, green jay, or mexican

jay?

I can do all three, in that order! For the chachalaca I will pick one species within the genus :)

Have you seen the plain chachalaca (Ortalis vetula)?

I have now

Yes, in photos/videos

Yes, irl

I'm not sure

Voting ended onMay 23, 2025

[na-bird-of-the-day]

BOTD: Plain Chachalaca

Photo: Tom Benson

"Our only representative of a distinctive tropical family. Plain Chachalacas are common in a limited area of southern Texas, where their flocks live in thickets or riverside woods. Frequently, especially at dawn and dusk, a flock will perch in a tall tree and give voice to a disorganized clattering chorus of cha-cha-lac calls."

- Audubon Field Guide

[99griffon]

My sketches from my journals! Rio Grande trip hours

I only drew what I saw... except for the one that got away...