Nocturnal Curassow vs Rufous-bellied Chachalaca
Nothocrax urumutum compared with Ortalis wagleri
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Nocturnal Curassow | Rufous-bellied Chachalaca |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Nothocrax urumutum | Ortalis wagleri |
| Order | Galliformes | Galliformes |
| Family | Cracidae | Cracidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 56.1 cm (22.1 in) | 48.3 cm (19.0 in) |
| Weight | 1368.0 g (48.25 oz) | 834.0 g (29.42 oz) |
| Diet | Frugivorous; eats fruits, seeds, and small invertebrates in Amazonian lowland forests. Nocturnal; rarely observed foraging. | Feeds on fruits, berries, seeds, leaves, and small invertebrates in Mexican thorn scrub and deciduous … |
| Clutch Size | 1-2 | 3 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Nocturnal Curassow
Produces a loud, far-carrying booming call at night; calls are resonant and owl-like. This nocturnal curassow's deep, resonant booming is heard after dark in western Amazonian forest.
Rufous-bellied Chachalaca
Produces a loud, deep raucous chorus; the lowest-pitched Ortalis chachalaca call. The deep, resonant cha-cha-LAC booms across Mexican Pacific slope deciduous forest at dawn.
Geographic Range & Migration
Nocturnal Curassow
Resident in the western Amazon Basin in Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru, and Brazil. Found in lowland terra firme rainforest.
Rufous-bellied Chachalaca
Endemic to the Pacific coast of western Mexico from Sinaloa to Colima. Found in tropical dry forest and thorn scrub.
Conservation Status
Nocturnal Curassow
Rufous-bellied Chachalaca
How to Tell Them Apart
Nocturnal Curassow
Chestnut-brown above with blackish scaling; head and neck dark with small black crest tipped rufous; face bare red-orange; underparts pale buff barred chestnut; tail chestnut broadly banded black.
Rufous-bellied Chachalaca
Olive-brown above; head grey with bare reddish throat; underparts strongly washed rufous-buff becoming deep rufous on belly and flanks; graduated tail dark brown with pale-tipped outer feathers.
About These Birds
Nocturnal Curassow
A medium-large cracid (~1.4 kg) of family Cracidae, the only curassow known for crepuscular and nocturnal activity. Has reddish-brown barred plumage and a small crest. Inhabits humid lowland rainforest in the western Amazon basin in Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Brazil. Feeds on fruits and invertebrates. Least Concern; secretive behavior and dense forest habitat provide natural protection.
Rufous-bellied Chachalaca
A larger chachalaca (~834 g) of family Cracidae, with a rufous wash on the underparts. Endemic to the Pacific slope of northwestern Mexico, from Sonora to Jalisco. Inhabits tropical dry forest, thorn scrub, and deciduous woodland. Forages in groups on fruits, seeds, and insects. Least Concern; range restricted to the Mexican Pacific coast but populations remain stable.