Chachalacas, Guans and Curassows (Cracidae)
Plain Chachalaca (Ortalis vetula) - HBW 2, p. 343
French: Ortalide chacamel
German: Blauflügelguan
Spanish: Chachalaca Norteña
Other common names: Common/Mexican/Eastern Chachalaca; Northern Chachalaca (mccallii); Utila Chachalaca (deschauenseei)
Taxonomy: Penelope vetula Wagler, 1830, Mexico.
O. poliocephala and O. leucogastra formerly considered races of present species. Population of dry interior valley of Chiapas, S Mexico, was separated in race vallicola, but differences slight and not usually recognized. Isolated population in Costa Rica may represent undescribed race; sometimes assigned to O. leucogastra. In Chiapas, range meets, and may slightly overlap with those of O. poliocephala and O. leucogastra but hybridization not recorded. Four subspecies currently recognized.
Subspecies and Distribution:
- mccallii Baird, 1858 - extreme S Texas (USA) and NE Mexico S to N Veracruz.
- vetula (Wagler, 1830) - E & S Mexico, Belize, E Guatemala, Honduras, W Nicaragua and NW Costa Rica.
- pallidiventris Ridgway, 1887 - N Yucatán.
- deschauenseei Bond, 1936 - Utila I, off N Honduras.
- Least Concern Enlarge map
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Two birds sand bathing. Locality ZooMAT, Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Chiapas State, Mexico (Southern) (ssp vetula)
Josep del Hoyo 27 March 2009 2 years ago 42 sec 5 -
Two birds feeding in a bush. Locality Tikal National Park, Petén Department, Guatemala (ssp vetula)
Pieter de Groot Boersma 6 August 2005 4 years ago 32 sec 4.2 -
A bird walking on branches Locality Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary (Jaguar Preserve), Stann Creek District, Belize (ssp pallidiventris)
Wayne Hall 7 February 2007 4 years ago 32 sec 4 -
A bird preening with open tail. Locality ZooMAT, Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Chiapas State, Mexico (Southern) (ssp vetula)
Josep del Hoyo 27 March 2009 2 years ago 43 sec 4 -
A bird sitting on a perch, looking around and then flying away. Locality ZooMAT, Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Chiapas State, Mexico (Southern) (ssp vetula)
Josep del Hoyo 27 March 2009 2 years ago 36 sec 4 -
Three birds at feeder eating fruit. Locality Cayo District, Belize
Alexander Grimwade 20 March 2010 2 years ago 25 sec 3.8
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A wild bird on a branch.
Locality ZooMAT, Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Chiapas State, Mexico (Southern) (ssp vetula)
Josep del Hoyo 27 March 2009 2 years ago 4 -
At the feeding station by the refuge headquarters
Locality Laguna Atascosa , Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge, Texas, USA (United States)
Erik Breden 26 August 2008 2 years ago 3.7 -
This Plain Chachalaca was in a small group of five other birds.
Locality Brownsville, Cameron County, Texas, USA (United States)
Bill Dixon 29 January 2010 34 weeks ago 3 -
A wild bird on the ground, with open tail.
Locality ZooMAT, Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Chiapas State, Mexico (Southern) (ssp vetula)
Josep del Hoyo 27 March 2009 2 years ago 3 -
Plain Chachalaca
Locality Texas, USA (United States)
killiajk 19 January 2008 3 years ago 3 -
A close-up of a bird.
Locality Xalapa, Veracruz State, Mexico (Southern) (ssp vetula)
albert 22 December 2009 3 years ago 3
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Harsh calls of a wild bird walking.
Locality ZooMAT, Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Chiapas State, Mexico (Southern)
(ssp vetula)
Josep del Hoyo 27 March 2009 2 years ago 3 -
A group of birds calling.
Locality Sumidero Canyon, Chiapas State, Mexico (Southern)
(ssp vetula)
Josep del Hoyo 8 April 2009 2 years ago 3
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