Photo courtesy of Texas Parks & Wildlife Department.
Plain chachalaca (Ortalis vetula)
I admit that part of my attraction to Chachalacas is that I love saying their name. Go ahead and say it! But other than a cool name, they are very plain birds with loud voices. You will often hear them before seeing them, with their “song” sounding much like their name (cha-cha-lac!). They sing in the morning and the evening and use their song to communicate with other Chachalacas. They also sing to announce storms, which can be a useful thing for the humans they live near. Although they allow people to get near them, they are also furtive and wary and will run from perceived danger. When necessary, a group may gang up on a predator.
Living in wooded areas of South Texas, the Plain Chachalaca is the only member of the Cracidae family found in North America. Often found in groups of 15 or more members, they feed in trees or on the ground, eating bugs, fruit, flowers, and seeds.
Often described as a long-tailed tropical chicken, Chachalacas are medium-sized, about the size of a pheasant, and males and females look virtually alike. Aptly named, they are, to put it plainly, plain, having a greyish head and neck with a dull olive-brown body and wings. Their belly is pale to ochraceous, and the tail is blackish with green gloss and buffy-white tip. In the wild, they live up to eight years. A few have been introduced into other areas of South Texas and even in Georgia, but they are considered invasive there, often damaging crops. Fortunately, the introduced group in Georgia are on an island, and since they don’t fly far, seem contained.
During breeding season, the Chachalacas bare throat patch turn dark red on both males and females, indicating they are ready to mate. Males and females gather nesting material, primarily use the leftover nests of other birds, adding to and enlarging the nest. It is often mistaken for a squirrel’s nest or a pile of leaf refuse. They mate and lay eggs from March to September, usually nesting near food sources. The female lays a clutch of 3-4 white eggs that take about 22-25 days for the eggs to hatch. The young stay with the parents until October, and they appear to be monogamous during mating season with both sexes caring for the young.
The red throat patch on the Chachalaca. Photo by John Arvin.
Although they can fly, they do not migrate and only fly short distances. They fly faster than many other birds, but because of their preference to stay close to home, there is little flight data available. Other than people, their only predators are snakes, raccoons, and large owls. Although not as popular with hunters as other game birds, it is legal to hunt Chachalacas.
As would be expected in the Rio Grande Valley, Plain Chachalacas are most active in the mornings and quiet in the heat of the day. One of the best places to view Chachalacas is at Quinta Mazatlan. A world birding center in McAllen, TX, the grounds of this mansion attract many species not easily found anywhere else in the United States. Although not the most colorful or charismatic of birds, the Plain Chachalaca is a great find!
Compiled by Jeanette Larson.
Sources include All About Birds and Texas Parks & Wildlife, and World Birding Center.
