Chestnut-headed Chachalaca

Ortalis ruficeps

Slender, long-tailed, chickenlike bird that is often seen in small groups. Grayish-brown overall with a warmer chestnut head. At close range note the bare red throat patch and pinkish legs. Found in forest, second-growth woodlands, and river edges. Limited range in central Brazil, south of the Amazon river.. Somewhat similar to Spix’s and Marail Guans, but Chestnut-headed Chachalaca is much smaller and is unlikely to be in canopy of tall forest. Usually quiet, but groups call loudly to each other early in the morning; unmistakable call can be heard for more than a kilometer. Once considered conspecific with Variable Chachalaca, but Chestnut-headed is smaller and has a slower song.

Identification

The chestnut-headed chachalaca is 43 to 54 cm (1.4 to 1.8 ft) long and weighs 345 to 620 g (0.76 to 1.4 lb). It has a reddish-chestnut head, grayish brown upperparts, grayish underparts, and dark brown primary flight feathers.

Taxonomy

What is now the chestnut-headed chachalaca was previously a subspecies of what was then called variable chachalaca (Ortalis motmot). (Confusingly, after the split the International Ornithological Committee (IOC) renamed O. motmot "little chachalaca" but the American Ornithological Society (AOS) and the Clements taxonomy retained the name "variable" for it.) It is monotypic.

Scientific name
Ortalis ruficeps
Authority
(Wagler, 1830)
Order
Galliformes
Family
Cracidae
Genus
Ortalis

Range and habitat

The chestnut-headed chachalaca is found only in north-central Brazil, south of the Amazon River between rio Tapajós in Pará state and rio Araguaia in Tocantins state. Though its habitat has not been well studied, it is believed to be similar to that of the little chachalaca: landscapes such as dense secondary forest and the undergrowth along rivers, in clearings, and abandoned pastures. It probably shuns the interior of dense forest.

Behavior

The chestnut-headed chachalaca's feeding behavior and diet are assumed to be the same as those of little chachalaca. That species forages in trees or on the ground, usually in pairs or small flocks. Its primary diet is berries and fruits although it also eats flowers and leaves.<p>No information has been published about the chestnut-headed chachalaca's breeding phenology.<p>The chestnut-headed chachalaca's song is "a loud, rollicking duet, a repeated 'WATCH-a-lak', which is mainly given at dawn and dusk" and is very similar to that of the little chachalaca though slower.

Photos

Bird Calls

Other Birds

Southern Variable Pitohui

Southern Variable Pitohui

Pitohui uropygialis

A fairly large bird of mainly secondary lowland and foothill forest edge. As the name suggests, a variably plumaged bird. Males mostly have a black hood, wing and tail with belly and back, chestnut or orange-brown. Males and females of some races have a brown head. Very similar to Hooded Pitohui, but Southern Variable is usually found at lower elevation and has black rather than brown above the base of the tail. Song, a varied, jumbled warble.

Gray-breasted Spurfowl

Gray-breasted Spurfowl

Pternistis rufopictus

A large gray-and-brown francolin with bare red skin on the throat and around the eyes. Also note the red bill, the dark gray legs, and the chestnut, buff, and black markings along the sides of the belly. Pale patches in the outer wings are conspicuous in flight. Found in fairly dry thorn savanna, woodland, and thickets, usually in pairs or small groups. Similar to Red-necked Francolin, but there is little overlap in range, and separated by the brown legs and many plumage details. Also similar to Yellow-necked Francolin, but easily separated by the red or sometimes orange (rather than yellow) throat. The call is a fading series of grating “kreaaak” notes. 

Rufous-breasted Sabrewing

Rufous-breasted Sabrewing

Campylopterus hyperythrus

Large, conspicuous hummingbird of tepui highlands. Green above and rufous below. Note extensively rufous outer tail feathers, which are easily seen as birds tend to flare tail frequently. Generally common at higher elevations (above 1000 m), especially at forest edge and in lower-stature, scrubby vegetation. Feeds on nectar and pugnaciously defends patches of flowers against other hummingbirds. Not shy and will approach to investigate observers. In territorial interactions, gives a rich, sharp note, often doubled, repeated incessantly, and similar to calls of more widespread Gray-breasted Sabrewing; also gives a single, ascending, burry note, possibly as an alarm call. No other hummingbird in highland range is as large or shows as much rufous.

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Chestnut-headed Chachalaca | BirdLens