Common Name: Rufous-vented Chachalaca
Scientific Name: Ortalis ruficauda
LEAST CONCERN Rufous-vented Chachalaca Distribution: Northern South America Habitat: Scrubland & Forest Height: 53 - 61cm Weight: 540 - 800g Diet: Herbivorous
Rufous-vented Chachalacas are medium sized birds with small heads. They have long, strong legs and a long, broad tail to help them to climb. Their plumage is quite dull, dark brown on their backs and lighter on their bellies. Their head is grey with a reddish wattle on their throat. Chachalacas are very noisy birds. The males have a loud and low call of ka-ka-rak-ka, the female make a high pitch call of watch-a-lak. They are found in the forests and scrublands of northern South America, its range includes Colombia, northern Venezuela and Tobago. They are arboreal, often climbing more than flying, but are not as dependant on forests as other members of their family. They thrive in abandoned farmland. Their diet consists of fruit, shoots, leaves, flowers and nuts. They will forage both in the trees and on the ground. They are social birds and congregate in flocks of between 4 and 20 individuals. They build their nests from twigs low in the trees and lay 3 or 4 white eggs. The female incubates the eggs alone. Soon after hatching the chicks will leave the nest and join their parents to forage. They are one of the national birds of Trinidad and Tobago and is pictured in their coat of arms with a Scarlet Ibis. The Chachalaca represents Tobago and the Ibis Trinidad.