Chaco chachalaca facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Chaco chachalaca |
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| In the Pantanal, Brazil. | |
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Ortalis
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| Species: |
canicollis
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The Chaco chachalaca (scientific name: Ortalis canicollis) is a type of bird. It belongs to the family called Cracidae, which includes chachalacas, guans, and curassows. You can find this bird in several South American countries. These include Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, and Paraguay. It might also live in Uruguay, but this is not fully confirmed.
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About the Chaco Chachalaca
What Does the Chaco Chachalaca Look Like?
The Chaco chachalaca is a medium-sized bird. It is about 50 to 56 cm (1.6 to 1.8 ft) long. That's about the length of your forearm! It weighs between 479 to 678 g (1.1 to 1.5 lb). This is roughly the weight of a small melon.
The main type of Chaco chachalaca has a gray head, back, and chest. Its belly is tan or brown. It has bare, pinkish-red skin around its eyes. Another type, called O. c. pantanalensis, looks a bit browner. Its facial skin is more purplish than pinkish.
Where Does the Chaco Chachalaca Live?
The Chaco chachalaca lives in different kinds of places. It likes lowland swamp forests and scrublands. You can also find it in dry subtropical forests. It lives in forests along rivers and in palm groves. This bird can be found in both old, untouched forests and newer forests that have grown back.
In Brazil and Paraguay, it lives in low areas. But in Argentina, it can live in higher places, up to about 1,000 m (3,300 ft) high.
What Does the Chaco Chachalaca Eat?
Chaco chachalacas usually look for food in small groups. Sometimes, as many as 30 birds can be seen together. They mostly feed in the tops of trees. If there isn't much brush on the ground, they will also look for food there. In Argentina, very large groups of up to 150 birds have been seen eating in farm fields. These fields were far from any trees.
Their main food is fruits and leaves all year round. When certain insects are common, especially caterpillars, they add them to their diet.
How Do Chaco Chachalacas Raise Their Young?
The breeding season for the Chaco chachalaca in Argentina is from October to February. In Bolivia, it seems to start earlier, around August. The nest is a simple, loose platform. It is made of sticks and stems. Sometimes, they line it with leaves.
They usually build their nests in a thick bush or tree. The nest is typically between 2.5 and 4 m (8.2 and 13 ft) above the ground. The female bird lays two to four eggs. She is the only one who sits on the eggs to keep them warm until they hatch.
What Sounds Do Chaco Chachalacas Make?
The Chaco chachalaca has a very loud main call. You can often hear it early in the morning. It sounds like a harsh, noisy "chata-ra-ta." It can also sound like "bink, ka chee chaw raw taw, chaw raw taw, chaw raw taw."
They make other sounds too. These include an "insistent 'prep-ep-ep-ep'" and a rising, questioning "preeeeew-it." When they are alarmed, they make a "chack" sound. For a warning, they use a low-pitched, rising whistle that sounds like "WOOoooooiiK." They can even make dog-like yelping sounds!
Conservation Status
The IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) has looked at the Chaco chachalaca. They have decided it is a species of "Least Concern." This means that it is not currently in danger of disappearing. It is generally common in the areas where it lives. However, in some places, too much hunting can be a problem for them.
Images for kids
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A close-up of the O. c. pantanalensis subspecies.
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