Ortalis leucogastra

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 leucogastra
Name

Ortalis leucogastra (Gould, 1843)
References

Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London Pt11 no.126 p. 105
Vernacular names
English: White-bellied Chachalaca
svenska: Vitbukad chachalaca

The white-bellied chachalaca (Ortalis leucogastra) is a species of bird in the family Cracidae, the chachalacas, guans, and curassows. It is found in El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, and Nicaragua.[2]
Taxonomy and systematics

The white-bellied chachalaca was at one time considered a subspecies of plain chachalaca (Ortalis vetula). It is believed to be most closely related to the speckled chachalaca (O. guttata).[3] It is monotypic.[2]
Description

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.[3]
Distribution and habitat

The white-bellied chachalaca is found from southeastern Chiapas in extreme southwestern Mexico through southern Guatemala, El Salvador, and southern Honduras into northwestern Nicaragua. It primarily inhabits swamp forest and swamps with thick scrub and is also found in dry forest, pasture edges, and mangroves. It is most common on the Pacific coastal plain but in Guatemala ranges as high as about 1,500 m (4,900 ft).[3]
Behavior
Feeding

The white-bellied chachalaca forages in groups of six and sometimes more birds, and almost always stays 6 to 10 m (20 to 33 ft) up in vegetation. Its diet is primarily berries and fruits, and it also feeds on leaves, buds, flowers, and invertebrates.[3]
Breeding

Egg laying by the white-bellied chachalaca has been recorded in every month from March to July. Its nest is a small loose platform of sticks lined with leaves. It is placed in a tree, usually between 5 and 20 m (16 and 66 ft) high. The clutch size is two or three eggs that only the female incubates.[3]

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

Songs and calls
Listen to white-bellied chachalaca on xeno-canto
Vocalization

The white-bellied chachalaca's principal vocalization is "a gruff, burry chattering of four syllables 'k-ku’uh-uh' or 'ch-k-uh-urr'."[3]
Status

The IUCN has assessed the white-bellied chachalaca as being of Least Concern.[1] It is "common to locally abundant" in much of its range though uncommon in Honduras and Nicaragua. It seems to have benefitted somewhat by the conversion of dense forest to shade coffee, but elsewhere has lost habitat to pastures and field crops. It is hunted for food.[3]
References

BirdLife International (2016). "White-bellied Chachalaca Ortalis leucogastra". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016. Retrieved 29 September 2021.
Gill, F.; Donsker, D.; Rasmussen, P. (July 2021). "IOC World Bird List (v 11.2)". Retrieved July 14, 2021.
del Hoyo, J. and G. M. Kirwan (2020). White-bellied Chachalaca (Ortalis leucogastra), 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.whbcha1.01 retrieved September 29, 2021