Photo: Francesco Veronesi from Italy / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)

Vulnerable

Game Birds

Rufous-headed Chachalaca

Ortalis erythroptera

Rufous-headed Chachalaca (Ortalis erythroptera) — Gamebirds of South America.

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Found across 3 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.

Regional checklists

Birds of Colombia Birds of Ecuador Birds of Peru

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The Rufous-headed Chachalaca (Ortalis erythroptera) is a member of the Cracidae family found in South America. Adults weigh 632 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Vulnerable.

Conservation status

IUCN Red List

VU Vulnerable

Facing a high risk of extinction in the wild.

Where it fits

Class Aves
Order Galliformes
Family Cracidae Chachalacas, Curassows, Guans
Genus Ortalis
Species erythroptera

Where it lives

Western Ecuador and northwestern Peru

South America

Quick facts

Weight: 632 g
Diet: Fruit-eaters
Family: Cracidae
Order: Galliformes
Habitat: Woodland

How to identify

Similar birds

Vulnerable

Biology & behaviour

Diet

The Rufous-headed Chachalaca is a frugivore — it feeds mainly on fruit.

Behaviour

A bird of dense forest, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.

Migration

The Rufous-headed Chachalaca is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.

The Rufous-headed Chachalaca (Ortalis erythroptera) is a member of the Cracidae family, within the order Galliformes. It is found across South America. Its distribution covers SA w Ecuador and nw Peru.

It is a large bird. Adults weighs around 632 g, with a wing length of about 21.9 cm and a tail of around 25.9 cm.

It is classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List and is a focus of conservation concern. Vulnerable species face a high risk of extinction in the wild if pressures continue.

The species has a mapped global range of roughly 75,000 km².

Songs & calls

Rufous-headed Chachalaca — Call, loud calls

Recorded by Juan Freile Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Frequently asked questions

How big is the Rufous-headed Chachalaca?

The Rufous-headed Chachalaca is a large bird that weighs around 632 g.

Where does the Rufous-headed Chachalaca live?

The Rufous-headed Chachalaca is found across South America with a range covering SA w Ecuador and nw Peru, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.

What family does the Rufous-headed Chachalaca belong to?

The Rufous-headed Chachalaca (Ortalis erythroptera) belongs to the Cracidae family, in the order Galliformes.

What does the Rufous-headed Chachalaca eat?

The Rufous-headed Chachalaca is a frugivore — it feeds mainly on fruit.

Does the Rufous-headed Chachalaca migrate?

The Rufous-headed Chachalaca is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.

Is the Rufous-headed Chachalaca endangered?

It is classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List and is a focus of conservation concern Vulnerable species face a high risk of extinction in the wild if pressures continue.

What sound does the Rufous-headed Chachalaca make?

1 real field recording of the Rufous-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 Rufous-headed Chachalaca's range?

The Rufous-headed Chachalaca has a mapped global range of about 75,000 km².