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
Cladus: 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 cinereiceps
Subspecies: O. c. chocoensis - O. c. cinereiceps - O. c. olivacea
Name
Ortalis cinereiceps G.R. Gray, 1867
References
List of the ... Birds in the ... British Museum pt5 p. 12
Vernacular names
čeština: čačalaka šedohlavá
dansk: Mexicansk Chachalaca
Deutsch: Graukopfguan
English: Grey-headed Chachalaca
español: Chachalaca Cabecigrís
eesti: Panama tšatšalaka
suomi: Panamankaklattaja
français: Ortalide à tête grise
magyar: Szürkefejű erdeityúk
italiano: Ciacialaca testagrigia
日本語: ハイガシラヒメシャクケイ, haigashirahimeshakukei
Nederlands: Grijskopchachalaca
norsk: Gråhodehokko
polski: Czakalaka szarogłowa
português: Aracuã-de-cabeça-cinzenta
русский: Сероголовая чачалака
slovenčina: šuan sivohlavý
svenska: Gråhuvad chachalaca
中文: 灰头小冠雉
The grey-headed chachalaca (Ortalis cinereiceps) is a member of an ancient group of birds of the family Cracidae, which includes chachalacas, guans, and curassows. It is found from Honduras to Colombia.[2][3]
Taxonomy and systematics
The family Cracidae is closely related to the guineafowl (Numididae), the pheasants, grouse and allies (Phasianidae), and the New World quail (Odontophoridae).[3] The grey-headed chachalaca was at one time treated as conspecific with the chestnut-winged chachalaca (Ortalis garrula).[4][5] It is monotypic; several subspecies have been proposed and not accepted.[2][5]
Gray-headed chachalacas displaying (Costa Rica)
Description
The grey-headed chachalaca is a medium-sized bird, similar in general appearance to turkeys, with a small head, long strong legs, and a long broad tail. They are 48 to 58 cm (1.6 to 1.9 ft) long and weigh 490 to 540 g (1.1 to 1.2 lb). They have fairly dull plumage, grayish brown above and paler below. The head is dark grey with a red dewlap and the blackish tail is tipped with buff. Their primary flight feathers are bright chestnut. Juveniles are browner overall, especially on the head.[5]
Distribution and habitat
The grey-headed chachalaca is found from Mosquitia in eastern Honduras through eastern Nicaragua and most of Costa Rica and Panama into Colombia's Chocó Department. In addition to mainland Panama it occurs on Isla del Rey, where it might have been introduced by native Americans. It inhabits a variety of humid landscapes characterized by dense vegetation such as thickets, secondary forest, brushy abandoned fields, and thinned forests. It shuns the interior of dense forest though it can occur in their edges. In elevation it ranges from sea level to 1,700 m (5,600 ft).[5]
Behavior
Feeding
The grey-headed chachalaca forages typically in groups of six to 12 but sometimes up to 20, usually in the vegetation but sometimes on the ground. Its diet is about 75% fruit, 17% leaves, and 8% invertebrates. In the dry season it visits rivers to drink in the morning and evening.[5]
Breeding
The grey-headed chachalaca's egg-laying season spans at least January to May, which overlaps the dry season. Its broad shallow nest is built of twigs, vines, and other vegetation and placed 1 to 2.4 m (3 to 8 ft) above ground in a tree or bush and often screened by vines. The female lays three dull white eggs and incubates them alone.[5]
Vocalization
Dickcissel male perched on a metal pole singing, with neck stretched and beak open.
Songs and calls
Listen to grey-headed chachalaca on xeno-canto
The grey-headed chachalaca is less noisy than plain (O. vetula) or rufous-vented chachalacas (O. ruficauda). Its song is a soft "cha-cha-lac-ah". Flocks give raucous calls described as "kloik, kleeuk kraahk". It also makes a variety of screams, sharp alarm calls, and a quiet purr.[5]
Status
The IUCN has assessed the grey-headed chachalaca as being of Least Concern.[1] It varies from fairly common to common throughout its range though in some areas the population has been significantly reduced by hunting. It adapts well to some habitat disturbance.[5]
References
BirdLife International (2016). "Grey-headed Chachalaca Ortalis cinereiceps". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016. Retrieved 28 September 2021.
Gill, F.; Donsker, D.; Rasmussen, P. (July 2021). "IOC World Bird List (v 11.2)". Retrieved July 14, 2021.
Winkler, D. W., S. M. Billerman, and I.J. Lovette (2020). Guans, Chachalacas, and Curassows (Cracidae), version 1.0. In Birds of the World (S. M. Billerman, B. K. Keeney, P. G. Rodewald, and T. S. Schulenberg, Editors). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.cracid2.01 retrieved September 28, 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. A classification of the bird species of South America. American Ornithological Society. https://www.museum.lsu.edu/~Remsen/SACCBaseline.htm retrieved August 24, 2021
del Hoyo, J. and G. M. Kirwan (2020). Gray-headed Chachalaca (Ortalis cinereiceps), 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.grhcha1.01 retrieved September 28, 2021
Other reading
Stiles, F. Gary; Skutch, Alexander F. (1989). A Guide to the Birds of Costa Rica. Comstock Publishing Associates. ISBN 0-8014-9600-4.
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