White-bellied Chachalaca vs Rufous-vented Chachalaca
Ortalis leucogastra compared with Ortalis ruficauda
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | White-bellied Chachalaca | Rufous-vented Chachalaca |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Ortalis leucogastra | Ortalis ruficauda |
| Order | Galliformes | Galliformes |
| Family | Cracidae | Cracidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 41.7 cm (16.4 in) | 44.0 cm (17.3 in) |
| Weight | 499.5 g (17.62 oz) | 604.4 g (21.32 oz) |
| Diet | Frugivorous; eats fruits, berries, seeds, and leaves in Central American forest edges and scrubby second-growth … | Eats fruits, berries, leaves, flowers, and small insects in Venezuelan forest edges, scrub, and coastal … |
| Clutch Size | 2-3 | 3-4 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Shared Habitats
White-bellied Chachalaca only
Rufous-vented Chachalaca only
None
Song & Call Comparison
White-bellied Chachalaca
Emits a loud, raucous chachalaca chorus; individual call is slightly higher and thinner. Dawn choruses ring across Central American Pacific slope forest and scrub.
Rufous-vented Chachalaca
Produces a loud, raucous chachalaca chorus; individual notes are slightly harsher than Plain Chachalaca. Dawn choruses ring across Venezuelan and Trinidadian dry forest and forest edge.
Geographic Range & Migration
White-bellied Chachalaca
Resident in Central America from Mexico south to Nicaragua. Found in tropical dry and humid forests and forest edges.
Rufous-vented Chachalaca
Resident in northern Venezuela and Trinidad. Found in dry forest, scrub, and woodland edges in lowland areas.
Conservation Status
White-bellied Chachalaca
Rufous-vented Chachalaca
How to Tell Them Apart
White-bellied Chachalaca
Olive-brown upperparts; grey head with bare reddish throat; underparts strikingly white-bellied, contrasting sharply with brownish sides; tail dark with white tips on outer feathers.
Rufous-vented Chachalaca
Olive-brown above; grey head; bare reddish throat; underparts buff-grey grading to rich rufous-cinnamon on vent and undertail coverts; tail dark brown with buff-tipped outer feathers.
About These Birds
White-bellied Chachalaca
A medium-sized cracid (~500 g) of family Cracidae, distinguished by pale whitish underparts. Found in Pacific lowland forests, scrub, and forest edges from southern Mexico to northwestern Costa Rica. Forages in noisy flocks on fruits, buds, and seeds in the forest canopy and edges. Least Concern; thrives in disturbed habitats and secondary growth across its Central American range.
Rufous-vented Chachalaca
A medium-sized cracid (~605 g) of family Cracidae, with rufous undertail coverts and a bare red throat. Found in forest edges, thorn scrub, and deciduous woodland in Venezuela and Trinidad. Forages in groups for fruits, seeds, and leaves. Least Concern; a familiar bird in Venezuela, adapted to disturbed habitats and gardens as well as natural scrublands.