Photo: Fernando Flores from Caracas, Venezuela / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Rufous-vented Chachalaca
Ortalis ruficauda
Rufous-vented Chachalaca (Ortalis ruficauda) — Gamebirds of South America.
Found on 1 guide in our atlas — open it for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Rufous-vented Chachalaca (Ortalis ruficauda) is a member of the Cracidae family found in South America. Adults weigh 586 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 ruficauda
Quick facts
- Weight
- 586 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 Rufous-vented Chachalaca is a frugivore — it feeds mainly on fruit.
Behaviour
A bird of dense woodland, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Rufous-vented Chachalaca is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Rufous-vented Chachalaca (Ortalis ruficauda) is a species of bird in the Cracidae family, part of the order Galliformes. It occurs naturally across South America. Its distribution covers SA Colombia and Venezuela.
It is a large bird. Adults weighs around 586 g, with a wing length of about 22 cm and a tail of around 26.1 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 474,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Rufous-vented Chachalaca?
The Rufous-vented Chachalaca is a large bird that weighs around 586 g.
Where does the Rufous-vented Chachalaca live?
The Rufous-vented Chachalaca is found across South America with a range covering SA Colombia and Venezuela, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Rufous-vented Chachalaca belong to?
The Rufous-vented Chachalaca (Ortalis ruficauda) belongs to the Cracidae family, in the order Galliformes.
What does the Rufous-vented Chachalaca eat?
The Rufous-vented Chachalaca is a frugivore — it feeds mainly on fruit.
Does the Rufous-vented Chachalaca migrate?
The Rufous-vented Chachalaca is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Rufous-vented 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 Rufous-vented Chachalaca make?
1 real field recording of the Rufous-vented 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-vented Chachalaca's range?
The Rufous-vented Chachalaca has a mapped global range of about 474,000 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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