Bird Guide

West Mexican Chachalaca vs White-bellied Chachalaca

West Mexican Chachalaca (Ortalis poliocephala)

West Mexican Chachalaca

Ortalis poliocephala

Large760 gWoodland

The West Mexican chachalaca is 58.5 to 68.5 cm (1.9 to 2.2 ft) long. One male weighed 760 g (1.7 lb). Its crown and nape are dull brownish gray and the rest of the upperparts pale brownish olive. The tail is slightly grayer and the feathers have broad buff tips. The breast is grayish olive and the belly whitish with a buff wash. The hazel eye is surrounded by bare carmine skin. Voice: The West Mexican chachalaca's principal vocalization is "a group of 'gruff, throaty, rhythmic chattering, chur-uh-uh-uhr, etc'."

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Adam Jackson · CC0
White-bellied Chachalaca (Ortalis leucogastra)

White-bellied Chachalaca

Ortalis leucogastra

Large496 gWoodland

The white-bellied chachalaca is 43 to 50 cm (1.4 to 1.6 ft) long and weighs 439 to 560 g (0.97 to 1.2 lb). Its head, upperparts, and breast are brown and the belly dull white. Its brown tail is tipped with white. Bare dark slate facial skin surrounds the eye. Voice: The white-bellied chachalaca's principal vocalization is "a gruff, burry chattering of four syllables 'k-ku’uh-uh' or 'ch-k-uh-urr'."

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Daniel Pineda Vera · CC BY 4.0

Where you might meet both

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Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: West Mexican Chachalaca and White-bellied Chachalaca.