About the Plain Chachalaca
The plain chachalaca (Ortalis vetula) 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. This species frequents dry and moist forests, especially where interspersed with scrub and savanna. Usually found in groups of up to 15 birds, the plain chachalaca is furtive and wary and prefers to escape from danger by running swiftly on the ground or leaping and gliding through brushy tangles.
Source: Wikipedia
Classification
- Scientific name
- Ortalis vetula
- Family
- Guans, Chachalacas, and Curassows
- Order
- Galliformes
Similar species
Other members of the guans, chachalacas, and curassows family recorded in North America — a useful place to start if you are not certain of your identification.
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