Ortalis canicollis

Life-forms

Superregnum: Eukaryota
Cladus: Unikonta
Cladus: Opisthokonta
Cladus: Holozoa
Regnum: Animalia
Subregnum: Eumetazoa
Cladus: Bilateria
Cladus: Nephrozoa
Superphylum: Deuterostomia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Infraphylum: Gnathostomata
Megaclassis: Osteichthyes
Cladus: Sarcopterygii
Cladus: Rhipidistia
Cladus: Tetrapodomorpha
Cladus: Eotetrapodiformes
Cladus: Elpistostegalia
Superclassis: Tetrapoda
Cladus: Reptiliomorpha
Cladus: Amniota
Classis: Reptilia
Cladus: Eureptilia
Cladus: Romeriida
Subclassis: Diapsida
Cladus: Sauria
Infraclassis: Archosauromorpha
Cladus: Crurotarsi
Divisio: Archosauria
Cladus: Avemetatarsalia
Cladus: Ornithodira
Subtaxon: Dinosauromorpha
Cladus: Dinosauriformes
Cladus: Dracohors
Cladus: Dinosauria
Ordo: Saurischia
Cladus: Eusaurischia
Subordo: Theropoda
Cladus: Neotheropoda
Cladus: Averostra
Cladus: Tetanurae
Cladus: Avetheropoda
Cladus: Coelurosauria
Cladus: Tyrannoraptora
Cladus: Maniraptoromorpha
Cladus: Maniraptoriformes
Cladus: Maniraptora
Cladus: Pennaraptora
Cladus: Paraves
Cladus: Eumaniraptora
Cladus: Avialae
Infraclassis: Aves
Cladus: Avebrevicauda
Cladus: Pygostylia
Cladus: Ornithothoraces
Cladus: Ornithuromorpha
Cladus: Carinatae
Parvclassis: Neornithes
Cohors: Neognathae
Cladus: Pangalloanserae
Cladus: Galloanseres
Ordo: Galliformes
Subordo: Craci

Familia: Cracidae
Genus: Ortalis
Species: Ortalis canicollis
Subspecies: O. c. canicollis - O. c. pantanalensis - O. c. ungeri
Name

Ortalis canicollis (Wagler, 1830)
References

Isis, oder Encyclopädische Zeitung 23 col.1112
Vernacular names
English: Chaco Chachalaca
svenska: Gråhalsad chachalaca

The Chaco chachalaca (Ortalis canicollis) is a species of bird in the family Cracidae, the chachalacas, guans, and curassows. It is found in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay, and possibly Uruguay.[2][3]
Taxonomy and systematics

The Chaco chachalaca has two recognized subspecies, the nominate Ortalis canicollis canicollis (Wagler, 1830) and O. c. pantanalensis (Cherrie and Reichenberger, 1921).[2] The latter might actually be a subspecies of plain chachalaca (O. vetula) or a species in its own right. The Paraguayan population has been treated as a separate subspecies but that status has not been generally accepted.[4]
O. c. pantanalensis
Description

The Chaco chachalaca is 50 to 56 cm (1.6 to 1.8 ft) long and weighs 479 to 678 g (1.1 to 1.5 lb). The nominate subspecies' head, back, and breast are gray and the belly tan to brown. It has bare pinkish red skin around the eye. O. c. pantanalensis is browner and the facial skin is more purplish than pinkish.[4]
Distribution and habitat

The nominate subspecies of Chaco chachalaca is found in the Gran Chaco of eastern Bolivia, western Paraguay, and northern Argentina. O. c. pantanalensis is found in southwestern Mato Grosso and Mato Grosso do Sul of Brazil. There are also unconfirmed reports of it in neighboring Bolivia and Paraguay.[4] The South American Classification Committee of the American Ornithological Society considers the species to be hypothetical in Uruguay.[3]

The Chaco chachalaca inhabits a variety of landscapes including lowland swamp forest and scrub, dry subtropical forest, semi-deciduous and gallery forest, and palm groves. It can be found in both mature and secondary forest. In Brazil and Paraguay it is found only at low elevations but can be found as high as about 1,000 m (3,300 ft) in Argentina.[4]
Behavior
Feeding

In forest landscapes, the Chaco chachalaca usually forages in small groups though as many as 30 have been observed. It usually feeds in the crown of trees but in areas with little undergrowth will also feed on the ground. In Argentina groups of up to 150 have been observed feeding in agricultural land far from cover. Its diet is primarily fruits and leaves year round and it adds invertebrates, especially caterpillars, when they are seasonally abundant.[4]
Breeding

The Chaco chachalaca's breeding season in Argentina spans from October to February and apparently begins as early as August in Bolivia. The nest is a small loose platform of sticks and stems that is sometimes lined with leaves. It is placed in a dense bush or tree, usually between 2.5 and 4 m (8.2 and 13 ft) above the ground. The clutch size is two to four eggs that the female alone incubates.[4]

Dickcissel male perched on a metal pole singing, with neck stretched and beak open.

Songs and calls
Listen to Chaco chachalaca on xeno-canto
Vocalization

The Chaco chachalaca's principal vocalization is given in the early morning, a "harsh, raucous 'chata-ra-ta'...or 'bink, ka chee chaw raw taw, chaw raw taw, chaw raw taw'." It has several other vocalizations described as an "insistent “prep-ep-ep-ep”, an ascending and somewhat querulous 'preeeeew-it', a 'chack' in alarm and a low-pitched upslurred whistle 'WOOoooooiiK' in warning; also dog-like yelping".[4]
Status

The IUCN has assessed the Chaco chachalaca as being of Least Concern.[1] It is generally common throughout its range but in some areas is subject to heavy hunting pressure.[4]
References

BirdLife International (2016). "Ortalis canicollis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T22678328A92768145. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22678328A92768145.en. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
Gill, F.; Donsker, D.; Rasmussen, P. (July 2021). "IOC World Bird List (v 11.2)". Retrieved July 14, 2021.
Remsen, J. V., Jr., J. I. Areta, E. Bonaccorso, S. Claramunt, A. Jaramillo, D. F. Lane, J. F. Pacheco, M. B. Robbins, F. G. Stiles, and K. J. Zimmer. Version 24 August 2021. Species Lists of Birds for South American Countries and Territories. https://www.museum.lsu.edu/~Remsen/SACCCountryLists.htm retrieved August 24, 2021
del Hoyo, J. and G. M. Kirwan (2020). Chaco Chachalaca (Ortalis canicollis), version 1.0. In Birds of the World (J. del Hoyo, A. Elliott, J. Sargatal, D. A. Christie, and E. de Juana, Editors). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.chacha1.01 retrieved September 29, 2021