Photo: Rhododendrites / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Grey-headed Chachalaca
Ortalis cinereiceps
Grey-headed Chachalaca (Ortalis cinereiceps) — Gamebirds of Central America & Caribbean.
Found across 2 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Grey-headed Chachalaca (Ortalis cinereiceps) is a member of the Cracidae family found in Central America & Caribbean and South America. Adults weigh 493 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Galliformes
- Family Cracidae Chachalacas, Curassows, Guans
- Genus Ortalis
- Species cinereiceps
Quick facts
- Weight
- 493 g
- Diet
- Fruit-eaters
- Family
- Cracidae
- Order
- Galliformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Not Evaluated
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Grey-headed Chachalaca is a frugivore — it feeds mainly on fruit.
Behaviour
A bird of dense scrub and shrubland, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Grey-headed Chachalaca is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Grey-headed Chachalaca (Ortalis cinereiceps) is a species of bird in the Cracidae family, part of the order Galliformes. Its range spans Central America & Caribbean and South America. Its distribution covers MA, SA Honduras to n Colombia.
It is a large bird. Adults weighs around 493 g, with a wing length of about 20.6 cm and a tail of around 20.7 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 236,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Grey-headed Chachalaca?
The Grey-headed Chachalaca is a large bird that weighs around 493 g.
Where does the Grey-headed Chachalaca live?
The Grey-headed Chachalaca is found across Central America & Caribbean and South America with a range covering MA, SA Honduras to n Colombia, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Grey-headed Chachalaca belong to?
The Grey-headed Chachalaca (Ortalis cinereiceps) belongs to the Cracidae family, in the order Galliformes.
What does the Grey-headed Chachalaca eat?
The Grey-headed Chachalaca is a frugivore — it feeds mainly on fruit.
Does the Grey-headed Chachalaca migrate?
The Grey-headed Chachalaca is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Grey-headed Chachalaca endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Grey-headed Chachalaca make?
1 real field recording of the Grey-headed Chachalaca — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Grey-headed Chachalaca's range?
The Grey-headed Chachalaca has a mapped global range of about 236,000 km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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