Rufous-bellied chachalaca facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Rufous-bellied chachalaca |
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Ortalis
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wagleri
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The rufous-bellied chachalaca (say: cha-cha-LAH-ka) is a special bird that lives only in western Mexico. It's part of a bird family called Cracidae, which includes other cool birds like guans and curassows.
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What Kind of Bird Is It?
Scientists study how different animals are related. For a while, some thought the rufous-bellied chachalaca was just a type of another bird, the West Mexican chachalaca. But now, most agree it's its own unique species! This means it's the only one of its kind in its group.
What Does It Look Like?
The rufous-bellied chachalaca is a medium-sized bird. It grows to be about 62 to 67 centimeters (about 2 feet) long. It weighs around 834 grams, which is a little less than 2 pounds.
Most of its feathers are gray-brown or olive-brown. But its belly is a beautiful chestnut color, and its tail tips are also chestnut. This makes it one of the most colorful birds in its group! It also has bare skin around its eyes that is pink and blue.
Where Does It Live?
This bird lives only in western Mexico. You can find it from southern Sonora all the way south to northwestern Jalisco.
It likes to live in forests where trees lose their leaves in some seasons. It also lives in thorn forests and along the coast in mangrove areas. These birds usually live from sea level up to about 1,300 meters (about 4,200 feet) high. Sometimes, they can even be found as high as 2,000 meters (about 6,500 feet)!
How Does It Behave?
What Does It Eat?
Rufous-bellied chachalacas often look for food in groups. These groups can have up to 10 birds! They mostly eat fruit, picking it right off the trees.
How Does It Reproduce?
We don't know a lot about how these birds raise their young. But it seems like their main breeding time is around June. When a female lays eggs, she usually lays three at a time.
What Does It Sound Like?
The main sound the rufous-bellied chachalaca makes is a loud, rhythmic call. It sounds like "kirr-i-i-kr" or "chrr-i-k-rr." Sometimes, they add loud cackling, whistling, or growling sounds to their calls.
Is It Endangered?
The IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) checks on animals around the world. They have said the rufous-bellied chachalaca is a species of "Least Concern." This means it's not in danger of disappearing. These birds are quite common, even in places where humans have changed the habitat. People are allowed to hunt them in some areas.
