Plain Chachalaca

Ortalis vetula

Overview

The Plain Chachalaca (Ortalis vetula) is a species of bird (class Aves) in the guans, chachalacas, and curassows family (Cracidae) in the order of fowls (Galliformes).

Description

A large chickenlike bird, with a long neck and small head, greyish head and neck and brownigh-gray above and wings, and paler below. Both sexes have a bare throat patch which becomes red during the breeding season. The sexes are similar.

Range

Found in brushy and thorny forests along streams from the Rio Grande Valley in southernmost Texas, United States to northern Costa Rica in Central America.