Photo: Cloned Milkmen from Canada / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
West Mexican Chachalaca
Ortalis poliocephala
West Mexican Chachalaca (Ortalis poliocephala) — Gamebirds of Central America & Caribbean.
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The West Mexican Chachalaca (Ortalis poliocephala) is a member of the Cracidae family found in Central America & Caribbean. Adults weigh 760 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 poliocephala
Quick facts
- Weight
- 760 g
- Diet
- Fruit-eaters
- Family
- Cracidae
- Order
- Galliformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Near Threatened
Vulnerable
Vulnerable
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The West Mexican Chachalaca is a frugivore — it feeds mainly on fruit.
Behaviour
A bird of dense woodland, it uses a wide range of foraging strategies.
Migration
The West Mexican Chachalaca is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The West Mexican Chachalaca (Ortalis poliocephala) is a species of bird in the Cracidae family, part of the order Galliformes. It is found across Central America & Caribbean. Its distribution covers MA w and sw Mexico.
It is a large bird. Adults weighs around 760 g, with a wing length of about 26 cm and a tail of around 29.2 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 200,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the West Mexican Chachalaca?
The West Mexican Chachalaca is a large bird that weighs around 760 g.
Where does the West Mexican Chachalaca live?
The West Mexican Chachalaca is found across Central America & Caribbean with a range covering MA w and sw Mexico, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the West Mexican Chachalaca belong to?
The West Mexican Chachalaca (Ortalis poliocephala) belongs to the Cracidae family, in the order Galliformes.
What does the West Mexican Chachalaca eat?
The West Mexican Chachalaca is a frugivore — it feeds mainly on fruit.
Does the West Mexican Chachalaca migrate?
The West Mexican Chachalaca is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the West Mexican 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 West Mexican Chachalaca make?
1 real field recording of the West Mexican Chachalaca — including its song — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the West Mexican Chachalaca's range?
The West Mexican Chachalaca has a mapped global range of about 200,000 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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