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Grey-headed Chachalaca

A species of Chachalacas
Scientific name : Ortalis cinereiceps Genus : Chachalacas

Grey-headed Chachalaca, A species of Chachalacas
Botanical name: Ortalis cinereiceps
Genus: Chachalacas
Grey-headed Chachalaca (Ortalis cinereiceps) Photo By Francesco Veronesi , used under CC-BY-SA-2.0 /Cropped and compressed from original

Description

The grey-headed chachalaca (Ortalis cinereiceps) is a member of an ancient group of birds of the family Cracidae, which are related to the Australasian mound builders. It breeds in lowlands from eastern Honduras to northwestern Colombia (from South Chocó to the upper Atrato) at up to 1,100 m (3,600 ft) altitude. The grey-headed chachalaca is an arboreal species, found in thickets with emergent trees. The broad shallow nest is built of twigs and vines 1–3 m (3.3–9.8 ft) up in a tree, often partially screened by vines. The female lays three or four large rough-shelled white eggs and incubates them alone. These are medium-sized birds, similar in general appearance to turkeys, with small heads, long strong legs and a long broad tail. They are typically 51 cm (20 in) long and weigh 500 g (18 oz). They have fairly dull plumage, dark brown above and paler below. The head is dark grey, and the blackish tail is tipped with pale grey-brown. The primary flight feathers are rufous. It can be mistaken for the plain chachalaca, O. vetula, which has an isolated population that overlaps in northern Costa Rica, but it is larger, more rufous below, has a white tail tip, and lacks rufous in the wings. The grey-headed chachalaca is less noisy than plain or rufous-vented chachalacas. It has a peeping white, white, white contact call and a chorus of raucous kraaak sounds, but does not give the chachalaca call of its relatives. This is a social bird, often seen in family groups of 6–12. It walks along branches seeking the fruit and berries on which it feeds, or flies off with an ani-like flap and glide.
Size
58 cm
Nest Placement
Tree
Feeding Habits
Grey-headed Chachalaca, a frugivore, predominantly consumes fruits, supplemented by large insects, leaves, and diverse invertebrates. It forages primarily in trees, displaying adept climbing abilities to access food, revealing a specialized diet preference within its habitat.
Habitat
The grey-headed Chachalaca thrives in a variety of wooded environments including tangled thickets, light second-growth woods, and thinned-out forests, particularly in humid areas. These birds favor habitats where scattered, tall trees tower above a dense understory of shrubs and vines. They are typically found in lowlands and hilly regions, up to 1700 meters in elevation. Grey-headed Chachalacas are also common in bushy abandoned fields, clearings, and plantations. They tend to avoid dense forests but may inhabit the open borders along streams or occasionally forage in the forest canopy.
Dite type
Frugivorous

General Info

Feeding Habits

Bird food type
Fruit

Species Status

Not globally threatened.
Grey-headed Chachalaca (Ortalis cinereiceps) Grey-headed Chachalaca (Ortalis cinereiceps) Photo By Francesco Veronesi , used under CC-BY-SA-2.0 /Cropped and compressed from original
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