CHACHALACAS

Plain Chachalaca, Ortalis vetula

Family Cracidae (Chachalacas)

Size: 22"

Season: Year-round resident in southern Texas

Habitat: Tropical woods, thickets

The Plain Chachalaca is a Texas specialty; the lower Rio Grande valley being the only reliable place to find this bird in the United States. It is a chicken-like bird with a long tail, stout legs, and a small head. The plumage is very plain brown overall, with lighter, rufous-brown underparts and a gray head and neck. The bill is short and thick with a curved culmen, and along the side of the throat is a thin, red bare patch (not always visible in the field). The tail is glossy bluish-green with white tips. Chachalacas furtively travel in small groups, foraging in trees or on the ground for fruit and leaves. Their voice is like the name, a loud, grating chock-a-loc, often forming a cacophony when heard in unison with many individuals. The adult is illustrated.