| White-bellied chachalaca | |
|---|---|
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Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Clade: | Dinosauria |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Galliformes |
| Family: | Cracidae |
| Genus: | Ortalis |
| Species: | O. leucogastra |
| Binomial name | |
| Ortalis leucogastra (Gould, 1843) | |
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The white-bellied chachalaca (Ortalis leucogastra) is a species of bird in the family Cracidae, the chachalacas, guans, and curassows. It is found in El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, and Nicaragua. [2]
The white-bellied chachalaca was at one time considered a subspecies of plain chachalaca (Ortalis vetula). It is believed to be most closely related to the speckled chachalaca (O. guttata). [3] It is monotypic. [2]
The white-bellied chachalaca is 43 to 50 cm (1.4 to 1.6 ft) long and weighs 439 to 560 g (0.97 to 1.2 lb). Its head, upperparts, and breast are brown and the belly dull white. Its brown tail is tipped with white. Bare dark slate facial skin surrounds the eye. [3]
The white-bellied chachalaca is found from southeastern Chiapas in extreme southwestern Mexico through southern Guatemala, El Salvador, and southern Honduras into northwestern Nicaragua. It primarily inhabits swamp forest and swamps with thick scrub and is also found in dry forest, pasture edges, and mangroves. It is most common on the Pacific coastal plain but in Guatemala ranges as high as about 1,500 m (4,900 ft). [3]
The white-bellied chachalaca forages in groups of six and sometimes more birds, and almost always stays 6 to 10 m (20 to 33 ft) up in vegetation. Its diet is primarily berries and fruits, and it also feeds on leaves, buds, flowers, and invertebrates. [3]
Egg laying by the white-bellied chachalaca has been recorded in every month from March to July. Its nest is a small loose platform of sticks lined with leaves. It is placed in a tree, usually between 5 and 20 m (16 and 66 ft) high. The clutch size is two or three eggs that only the female incubates. [3]
The white-bellied chachalaca's principal vocalization is "a gruff, burry chattering of four syllables 'k-ku’uh-uh' or 'ch-k-uh-urr'." [3]
The IUCN has assessed the white-bellied chachalaca as being of Least Concern. [1] It is "common to locally abundant" in much of its range though uncommon in Honduras and Nicaragua. It seems to have benefitted somewhat by the conversion of dense forest to shade coffee, but elsewhere has lost habitat to pastures and field crops. It is hunted for food. [3]
The grey-headed chachalaca is a member of an ancient group of birds of the family Cracidae, which includes chachalacas, guans, and curassows. It is found from Honduras to Colombia.
The little chachalaca is a bird in the family Cracidae, the chachalacas, guans, and curassows. It is found in Brazil, French Guiana, Suriname, Guyana, Venezuela and possibly Colombia.
The plain chachalaca is a large bird in the chachalaca, guan and curassow family Cracidae. It breeds in tropical and subtropical environments from mezquital thickets in the Rio Grande Valley in southernmost Texas, United States to northernmost Costa Rica. In Central America, this species occurs in the Pacific lowlands from Chiapas, Mexico to northern Nicaragua and as a separate population in Costa Rica, where its range is separated by a short distance, as a disjunct population.
The blue bunting is a species of passerine in the family Cardinalidae, the cardinals or cardinal grosbeaks. It is found in Belize, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, and Nicaragua.
The ocellated quail is a species of bird in the family Odontophoridae, the New World quail. It is found in El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, and Nicaragua.
The Chaco chachalaca is a species of bird in the family Cracidae, the chachalacas, guans, and curassows. It is found in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay, and possibly Uruguay.
The rufous-headed chachalaca is a species of bird in the family Cracidae, the chachalacas, guans, and curassows. It is found in Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru.
The chestnut-winged chachalaca is a species of bird in the family Cracidae, the chachalacas, guans, and curassows. It is endemic to Colombia.
The speckled chachalaca is a species of bird in the family Cracidae, the chachalacas, guans, and curassows. It is found in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru.
The West Mexican chachalaca is a species of bird in the family Cracidae, the chachalacas, guans, and curassows. It is endemic to Mexico.
The buff-browed chachalaca is a species of bird in the family Cracidae, the chachalacas, guans, and curassows. It is endemic to Brazil.
The rufous-bellied chachalaca is a species of bird in the family Cracidae, the chachalacas, guans, and curassows. It is endemic to western Mexico.
The tody motmot is a species of near-passerine bird in the motmot family Momotidae. It is the only species placed in the genus Hylomanes. It is found in Belize, Colombia, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, and Panama.
The spot-breasted wren is a species of bird in the family Troglodytidae. It is found in Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, and Nicaragua.
The rufous-browed wren is a species of bird in the family Troglodytidae. It is found in Central America from Mexico south into Nicaragua.
The white-bellied wren is a species of bird in the family Troglodytidae. It is found in Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico.
The East Brazilian chachalaca is a species of bird in the family Cracidae, the chachalacas, guans, and curassows. It is endemic to eastern Brazil.
The scaled chachalaca is a species of bird in the family Cracidae, the chachalacas, guans, and curassows. It is endemic to Brazil.
The chestnut-headed chachalaca is a bird in the family Cracidae, the chachalacas, guans, and curassows. It is endemic to Brazil.
The Central American dry forests ecoregion, of the tropical and subtropical dry broadleaf forests biome, is located in Central America.
