West Mexican Chachalaca
Ortalis poliocephala
Noisy, long-tailed game bird of tropical forest and edge, usually found in small groups. Most often detected by its raucous song, which carries well. It feeds on fruit and plant material on the ground and also high in trees, where it runs along branches. For a big bird, it can be surprisingly hard to see. It is wary in areas where it is hunted and it slips away from view quite easily. In southwest Chiapas, the smaller White-bellied Chachalaca lives in coastal lowlands, while the West Mexican Chachalaca lives in foothills.
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Ortalis poliocephala
- Authority
- (Wagler, 1830)
- Order
- Galliformes
- Family
- Cracidae
- Genus
- Ortalis
Range and habitat
- Migration
- Resident species
Conservation
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Black Stork
Ciconia nigra
Adult distinctive: glossy black overall with white belly, very long pointed red bill and reddish legs. Juvenile similar, but duller overall. Breeds in swampy coniferous and mixed forests, where rather shy; builds a bulky stick nest high in trees. In mountainous regions also nests on cliffs. Wintering and migrating birds can be found in grasslands, agricultural fields, and on the margins of lakes and rivers. Flies with neck and legs outstretched, and strong, deep wingbeats interspersed with glides; also soars on thermals.
Lacrimose Mountain Tanager
Anisognathus lacrymosus
A distinctive mountain-tanager with tawny-orange underparts and isolated yellowish patches on cheek and below eye. Otherwise mostly blackish above with blue highlights on wings and tail. Occurs in the Andes from Venezuela to Peru, where it is fairly common in the upper subtropical and temperate zones. Pairs or small groups often follow mixed-species flocks in forested areas and edges.
Scaly-breasted Hummingbird
Phaeochroa cuvierii
Rather large, dull-plumaged hummingbird of humid tropical lowlands. Favors forest edge and adjacent clearings with trees, flowering bushes, and gardens. Best field marks are its large size and big white tail corners. Sexes look alike: dull greenish overall with medium-length, straightish black bill, dingy buffy belly, and white spot behind eye (like many hummingbirds). Breast is vaguely mottled and not obviously scaly.
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