Scaled chachalaca facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Scaled chachalaca |
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| In Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil | |
| Conservation status | |
Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Galliformes |
| Family: | Cracidae |
| Genus: | Ortalis |
| Species: |
O. squamata
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| Binomial name | |
| Ortalis squamata Lesson, 1829
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The scaled chachalaca (Ortalis squamata) is a type of bird found only in Brazil. It belongs to a bird family called Cracidae, which includes other birds like guans and curassows.
Contents
About the Scaled Chachalaca
What Does It Look Like?
The scaled chachalaca is about 50 centimeters (20 inches) long. A male bird usually weighs around 620 grams (1.4 pounds), and a female weighs about 498 grams (1.1 pounds).
Most of its feathers are shades of brown. The feathers on its back are darker brown. Its chest is also dark brown, but the edges of these feathers are lighter. This gives the bird a cool, scaly look, almost like fish scales!
Its belly is a light, yellowish-brown color. The area under its tail is a reddish-brown. It has a small, pink patch of skin on its throat. The skin around its dark eyes is a dark gray color.
Where Does It Live?
The scaled chachalaca lives only in southeastern Brazil. You can find it in the states of São Paulo, Paraná, Santa Catarina, and Rio Grande do Sul.
These birds like to live at the edges of tropical evergreen forests. They also live in special coastal forests called restinga and in mangrove swamps. You can find them from sea level up to about 800 meters (2,600 feet) high.
How Scientists Classify This Bird
For a long time, scientists thought the scaled chachalaca was a type of speckled chachalaca. Before that, it was even considered a subspecies of the plain chachalaca.
However, after more study, scientists now agree that the scaled chachalaca is its own unique species. This means it's not just a variation of another bird; it's a distinct kind of chachalaca.
Scaled Chachalaca Behavior
What Do They Eat?
Scaled chachalacas are often seen in small family groups. They mostly eat fruits and leaves. Sometimes, they visit places where people put out food, like bananas. They also visit suburban gardens to find food.
Reproduction and Life Cycle
The scaled chachalaca's breeding season seems to be from October to February or March. This is when adults are ready to breed, and eggs or young birds are seen.
Their nest is like a shallow bowl made of twigs and leaves. They usually build it in a hidden spot, like a fork in a tree branch. Nests are typically about 3 meters (10 feet) above the ground. A female chachalaca usually lays three eggs at a time.
What Sounds Do They Make?
The scaled chachalaca has a very loud and noisy song! It's often sung by two or more birds together, like a chorus. Their song can sound like "cacataPOOP, cacataPOP, cacataWHUMP, cacataWEEcata."
They also make other sounds, like an irregular, gurgling cackle. This can sound like "cuhcuh-cuhCAHcuhcuhcucCAH cuhcuhcuhcuh..."
Conservation Status
The IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) has listed the scaled chachalaca as a species of "Least Concern." This means they are not currently in danger of disappearing.
Even though we don't know the exact number of these birds, they are common in many parts of their home range. However, they do face some challenges. People sometimes hunt them, and their forest homes are shrinking due to deforestation.
 | Mary Eliza Mahoney |
 | Susie King Taylor |
 | Ida Gray |
 | Eliza Ann Grier |
