East Brazilian Chachalaca vs Rufous-headed Chachalaca
Ortalis araucuan compared with Ortalis erythroptera
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | East Brazilian Chachalaca | Rufous-headed Chachalaca |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Ortalis araucuan | Ortalis erythroptera |
| Order | Galliformes | Galliformes |
| Family | Cracidae | Cracidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Vulnerable |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 36.0 cm (14.2 in) | 43.8 cm (17.2 in) |
| Weight | 550.0 g (19.40 oz) | 632.5 g (22.31 oz) |
| Diet | Frugivorous; eats fruits, berries, seeds, and leaves in caatinga and Atlantic forest edges of northeastern … | Frugivorous; eats fruits, berries, seeds, and leaves in Pacific slope forests and forest edges of … |
| Clutch Size | 3 | 3 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Shared Habitats
East Brazilian Chachalaca only
None
Rufous-headed Chachalaca only
None
Song & Call Comparison
East Brazilian Chachalaca
Emits a loud, raucous chachalaca chorus; eastern Brazilian populations have a slightly nasal quality. Dawn choruses boom across Caatinga and Atlantic forest fragments.
Rufous-headed Chachalaca
Emits a loud, raucous chachalaca chorus; individual calls are slightly higher than Rufous-vented. Dawn choruses carry across Ecuadorian and Peruvian coastal dry forest.
Geographic Range & Migration
East Brazilian Chachalaca
Endemic to northeastern Brazil in the states of Maranhão, Piauí, and Ceará. Found in caatinga dry scrub and transitional forest.
Rufous-headed Chachalaca
Resident in western Ecuador and northwestern Peru. Found in tropical deciduous forest and scrub in the Tumbes-Chocó-Magdalena region.
Conservation Status
East Brazilian Chachalaca
Rufous-headed Chachalaca
How to Tell Them Apart
East Brazilian Chachalaca
Brownish-olive upperparts; grey-brown head; bare reddish throat skin; underparts pale olive-buff with pale grey wash on breast; tail dark brown, outer feathers tipped pale whitish.
Rufous-headed Chachalaca
Brownish-olive body; head and upper neck warm rufous-cinnamon, distinctly contrasting with greyish-brown back; bare reddish throat wattle; underparts pale buff; tail dark with pale outer tips.
About These Birds
East Brazilian Chachalaca
A medium-sized cracid (~550 g) of family Cracidae, endemic to northeastern and eastern Brazil. Inhabits the caatinga scrublands, cerrado woodland edges, and Atlantic Forest fragments. Forages in groups on fruits, seeds, and leaves. Least Concern; one of the few cracids adapted to Brazil's semi-arid caatinga biome and tolerant of disturbed habitats.
Rufous-headed Chachalaca
A medium-sized cracid (~630 g) of family Cracidae, with a striking rufous head. Inhabits humid and deciduous forests, forest edges, and scrub in western Ecuador and northwestern Peru. Feeds on fruits and leaves in the forest understory and canopy. Vulnerable due to extensive deforestation in the Tumbesian region, one of the world's most threatened biodiversity hotspots.