Colombian Chachalaca vs Band-tailed Guan
Ortalis columbiana compared with Penelope argyrotis
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Colombian Chachalaca | Band-tailed Guan |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Ortalis columbiana | Penelope argyrotis |
| Order | Galliformes | Galliformes |
| Family | Cracidae | Cracidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 45.1 cm (17.8 in) | 52.8 cm (20.8 in) |
| Weight | 486.6666666666667 g (17.17 oz) | 798.0 g (28.15 oz) |
| Diet | Frugivorous; eats fruits, berries, seeds, and leaves in Colombian dry forest edges and scrubby thickets. | Frugivorous; eats fruits, berries, leaves, flowers, and buds in Andean forests of Venezuela and Colombia. … |
| Clutch Size | 3-4 | -- |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Colombian Chachalaca
Emits a loud, raucous chachalaca chorus; Colombian highland calls are slightly harsher. Dawn choruses ring across Andean foothills and humid forest edge in Colombia.
Band-tailed Guan
Produces a loud, honking cackle and resonant wing-whirring in display flights. The deep, carrying honk and wing-whirr display is characteristic of this Andean Penelope guan.
Geographic Range & Migration
Colombian Chachalaca
Endemic to the Magdalena Valley and Caribbean slopes of Colombia. Found in dry and humid tropical forest.
Band-tailed Guan
Resident in the Andes and mountains of Colombia and Venezuela from 1,000-2,400 m. Found in humid montane forest.
Conservation Status
Colombian Chachalaca
Band-tailed Guan
How to Tell Them Apart
Colombian Chachalaca
Dull olive-brown above; head grey; bare pink-red throat; underparts pale grey-buff with slight olive wash on flanks; tail dark greenish-brown with whitish tips on outer rectrices.
Band-tailed Guan
Brownish-black above with fine white streaking on neck and chest; bare red facial skin; lower underparts chestnut; tail broad with distinctive pale grey subterminal band.
About These Birds
Colombian Chachalaca
A medium-sized cracid (~487 g) of family Cracidae, endemic to the Cauca and Magdalena river valleys of Colombia. Inhabits dry forest edges, gallery woodlands, and scrubby vegetation at low to mid elevations. Forages in social groups for fruits, seeds, and leaves. Least Concern; though endemic to Colombia, it is common within its restricted range and adapts to modified habitats.
Band-tailed Guan
A medium-sized cracid (~800 g) of family Cracidae, with a distinctive pale-tipped tail band. Inhabits montane humid forests in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta and Andes of Colombia and Venezuela. Arboreal, feeding on fruits, seeds, and buds in the canopy. Least Concern; restricted to Andean cloud forest but common within its range and tolerates some forest disturbance.