plain chachalaca

bird

Also known as: Ortalis vetula

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Last updated

July 1, 2026

Quick Summary

The plain chachalaca is a small bird belonging to the curassow family, Cracidae. It is one of eleven chachalaca species, which are the smallest and least arboreal members of the family.12

The plain chachalaca (Ortalis vetula) is about 50 cm (20 inches) long and weighs approximately 0.5 kg (1 pound). It is brownish with a long tail that has a green gloss and a white tip. These birds are typically found in flocks in treetops, where they call together at dawn and dusk with a distinctive, rhythmic sound. Their range extends from the Texas border to Nicaragua.2

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curassow
Typical is the plain chachalaca (Ortalis vetula), a 50-cm species, ranging from the Texas border to Nicaragua. Weighing about 0.5 kg (1 pound), it is brownish with a long, green-glossed, white-tipped tail. At dawn and sundown, flocks call together from the treetops with a regular, almost metronomic beat.
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Typical is the plain chachalaca (Ortalis vetula), a 50-cm species, ranging from the Texas border to Nicaragua. Weighing about 0.5 kg (1 pound), it is brownish with a long, green-glossed, white-tipped tail. At dawn and sundown, flocks call together from the treetops with a regular, almost metronomic beat.
Read More