Birda Logo
Features
Birda+
About
Species Guide
Challenges
Shop
loading...
A photo of a Plain Chachalaca (Ortalis vetula)
Plain Chachalaca

Plain Chachalaca

Ortalis vetula

The Plain Chachalaca, Ortalis vetula, is a large bird that is a member of the Cracidae family, which includes chachalacas, guans, and curassows. It is similar in size to a common pheasant, with a length ranging from 48 to 58 centimeters and a weight between 468 to 794 grams in males, and 439 to 707 grams in females. This species exhibits a greyish head and neck, with a dull olive-brown body and wings. The underbelly is pale to ochraceous, and the tail is blackish with a green gloss and a buffy-white tip. Both sexes have a small head, long neck, and during the breeding season, a deep red bare throat patch.

Identification Tips

When identifying the Plain Chachalaca, look for the distinctive red throat patch which becomes more pronounced during the breeding season. The bird's greyish head and neck contrast with its olive-brown body and wings. The tail is notable for its blackish color with a green sheen and a white tip. The iris is brown, the bill is black, and the orbital skin and feet are a dull grey.

Habitat

The Plain Chachalaca is found in a variety of habitats including dry and moist forests, scrub, and savanna. It is particularly associated with mezquital thickets in the Rio Grande Valley and adapts well to human-modified landscapes such as orchards and suburban areas.

Distribution

This bird's range extends from the southernmost Texas in the United States through Mexico to northernmost Costa Rica. It is also found in the Pacific lowlands from Chiapas, Mexico to northern Nicaragua, with a disjunct population in Costa Rica.

Behaviour

The Plain Chachalaca is a social bird, often found in groups of up to 15 individuals. It is known for its furtive and wary nature, preferring to run swiftly on the ground or leap through brush to escape danger. It is mostly diurnal, with peak activity in the cooler hours of the morning and evening.

Song & Calls

The vocalizations of the Plain Chachalaca are quite distinctive, with a loud and raucous "RAW-pa-haw" or "cha-cha-LAW-ka" often performed in a rhythmic chorus by several birds. These calls are particularly prevalent in the early morning and evening. Additionally, the species produces peeping whistles and cackles.

Breeding

Breeding typically occurs in the early wet season. The nest is a shallow saucer of twigs and plant fibers, lined with leaves, and placed in thick vegetation. Clutches consist of 2 to 4 rough-shelled white to cream eggs.

Similar Species

The Plain Chachalaca is related to the West Mexican Chachalaca and the White-bellied Chachalaca, which were once considered subspecies but are now recognized as separate species. Their ranges slightly overlap in Mexico, but hybrids have not been reported.

Diet and Feeding

The diet of the Plain Chachalaca includes fruit such as figs, palms, and Sapotaceae, as well as seeds, leaves, and flowers. It feeds both in trees and on the ground and can sometimes become a pest to crops like tomatoes and cucumbers.

Conservation status

The IUCN lists the Plain Chachalaca as Least Concern, with an estimated population of 500,000 to 5,000,000 individuals. It is not currently considered threatened, although the subspecies on Útila Island, O. v. deschauenseei, has been of concern but still survives.

Plain Chachalaca Sounds



Recorded by: © 
App logo
Birda is a birdwatching app and community aimed at curious people who want to deepen their connection with nature.

Plain Chachalaca Fun Facts

Did you know?
Plain Chachalaca normally call when there is a change of weather such as an approaching storm.

Plain Chachalacas on Birda

Sightings

More Chachalacas, Curassows, Guans

Birda Logo

Your birdwatching journey like never before

Connect with nature in minutes
Take a walk, look out of the window and log the birds that you see. Feel good about those little connections to nature.
Discover the joy of birding
Find new birding spots, see more birds, share and celebrate with a like-minded community of nature lovers.
Play your part in saving nature
Logging your birding sightings and sessions turns into positive action for our planet. Every sighting counts.

Birda Blog

What Our Birders Say
Ellesse_W
Learning Birding with Birda
I’m relatively new to birding as a hobby, and Birda is a great way to keep track off all the species I see. I’m still working on my ID skills, but the app is great for figuring out potential species, and the online community is so friendly and helpful. Definitely recommend Birda to both early and serious birders! 🐦
Birdafan
Ideal Birdwatch Companion
Simply adds to the enjoyment of my birdwatching and helps me record what I’ve seen.
Emcil24
A Friendly Place
I love using the bird app, I have a pretty good knowledge of birds. But I do have some gaps in it, so it’s nice to have a safe space to check on a sighting to confirm the species. It’s really enjoyable and I love the badges you can collect. It’s like a real life Pokémon go.
778
Great bird recording
For a while I’ve been trying to find an app to easily record bird lists and day out and struggled to find one that I like. Birda is great for this, straightforward and a great community!
Louise L
Easy to use and accurate
Love this app. It is easy to use and accurate, Their backup communication is really good. I noted a missing species. All through the process, I was kept informed about the progress in correcting the information. I now have the corrected, updated version. 😁 Thanks!
Bryan C
Clean and easy to use
Really enjoying this app, it's clean and easy to use. I love the ease of being able to add those one-off birds without starting a whole checklist. I also like the social aspect, like the parts of my Facebook I like, without the ads and junk, just birds. Can't wait to see it become more populated.
Foxgirl100
Great app for beginner twitchers
I’ve had a passion of photographing birds for a long time now but have only just gotten into proper birdwatching, and this app is brilliant for those just getting started. There is a great sense of community among users and the app is very easy to use and professional. Awesome app altogether
Alex J
Friendly and helps to identify birds
Great birding app, good for logging your sightings, also has nice species guide. I'm enjoying the social aspect more than I expected, everyone seems friendly and helps to identify unknown birds. Good mix of newbies and experienced users.
Stewart W
Fantastic to be involved
Fantastic to be involved, great for mental health and gets you responding with the Challenges that are to takd part in.
JCBirding
Just what birding needs
We need more fun in birding, for years it has had a reputation for being up tight and stuffy and only perused by retirees and anoraks. Birda helps change that perception and firmly brings birding into the 21st century! Fun, interactive while still contributing to science and conservation. If you aren’t on it, why not??
As featured in
Birda Logo
AboutPressAmbassadorsAffiliatesInfluencersCareersPrivacyTerms & Conditions
An app for birdwatchers
Connect with us
Copyright © 2024 Chirp Birding. All rights reserved.