UPPERCASE: current genusUppercase first letter: generic synonym● and ● See: generic homonymslowercase: species and subspecies●: early names, variants, misspellings‡: extinct†: type speciesGr.: ancient GreekL.: Latin<: derived fromsyn: synonym of/: separates historical and modern geographic namesex: based onTL: type localityOD: original diagnosis (genus) or original description (species)
This Rufous-vented Chachalaca is resident in thorny deciduous brushland, gallery forest, and forest patches in the drier lowlands of northeastern Colombia, northern Venezuela, and Tobago. Although the Rufous-vented Chachalaca usually is identifiable by range and habitat, in Colombia its distribution meets or narrowly overlaps that of the Chestnut-winged Chachalaca (Ortalis garrula); where both species of chachalaca occur, the Rufous-vented is best separated by its plain grey head, lack of rufous primary edging and by its rufous underparts. The Rufous-vented Chachalaca forages for fruit in flocks of 4-20 birds, although sometimes it can be found in flocks of over 50 birds. This is the only species of chachalaca that is known to nest on the ground, though like other chachalacas it prefers to nest in trees.
Field Identification
53–61 cm; 430–800 g. Slate-grey head
, becoming brown on upperparts with much darker tail (1
Delacour, J., and D. Amadon (2004). Curassows and Related Birds. Second edition. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona, Spain, and American Museum of Natural History, New York, USA.
). Facial skin slate-coloured. Greyish-buff belly becomes rufous on undertail-coverts
(1
Delacour, J., and D. Amadon (2004). Curassows and Related Birds. Second edition. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona, Spain, and American Museum of Natural History, New York, USA.
), with chestnut tip to tail
. Juvenile resembles adult (sexes alike) (1
Delacour, J., and D. Amadon (2004). Curassows and Related Birds. Second edition. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona, Spain, and American Museum of Natural History, New York, USA.
). Races differ in size (<em>ruficrissa</em>
slightly smaller) (1
Delacour, J., and D. Amadon (2004). Curassows and Related Birds. Second edition. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona, Spain, and American Museum of Natural History, New York, USA.
), tone of general coloration (ruficrissa has darker ventral region) (1
Delacour, J., and D. Amadon (2004). Curassows and Related Birds. Second edition. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona, Spain, and American Museum of Natural History, New York, USA.
) and colour of tail tip (greyish white in ruficrissa and rich chestnut in <em>ruficauda</em>
) (1
Delacour, J., and D. Amadon (2004). Curassows and Related Birds. Second edition. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona, Spain, and American Museum of Natural History, New York, USA.
).
Systematics History
Editor's Note: This article requires further editing work to merge existing content into the appropriate Subspecies sections. Please bear with us while this update takes place.
Previously thought to meet O. garrula in N Colombia (Guajira), but no evidence of hybridization (speculation now appears to have been based on misidentified specimen of present species) (2
del Hoyo, J., and A. Motis (2004). Update chapter. Pp. 322–476 in: J. Delacour, and D. Amadon (2004). Curassows and Related Birds. 2nd edition. Lynx & The American Museum of Natural History, Barcelona & New York.
). Race ruficrissa has been considered a separate species, but only constant difference is colour of tail tip (general coloration and size similar to nominate ruficauda, contra HBW); moreover, intergradation with ruficauda occurs N of Cúcuta, in N Colombia, and in hinterland of L Maracaibo, in Venezuela. Birds of latter area have been awarded different race, baliola. Population of Serranía de Macuira (Guajira Peninsula), in NE Colombia, has been separated as race lamprophonia; validity doubtful, but deserves further study. Two subspecies recognized.
UPPERCASE: current genusUppercase first letter: generic synonym● and ● See: generic homonymslowercase: species and subspecies●: early names, variants, misspellings‡: extinct†: type speciesGr.: ancient GreekL.: Latin<: derived fromsyn: synonym of/: separates historical and modern geographic namesex: based onTL: type localityOD: original diagnosis (genus) or original description (species)
NE Colombia (Norte de Santander and N Arauca), N and NE Venezuela (including Margarita I) S to R Orinoco and E to Delta Amacuro, and Tobago; also Bequia I and Union I, in S Lesser Antilles (St Vincent and the Grenadines), where probably introduced from Tobago.
Ortalis ruficauda ruficauda
Jardine, 1847
PROTONYM:Ortalida ruficauda
Jardine, 1847. The Annals and Magazine of Natural History including Zoology, Botany, and Geology (1), 20, p.374.
UPPERCASE: current genusUppercase first letter: generic synonym● and ● See: generic homonymslowercase: species and subspecies●: early names, variants, misspellings‡: extinct†: type speciesGr.: ancient GreekL.: Latin<: derived fromsyn: synonym of/: separates historical and modern geographic namesex: based onTL: type localityOD: original diagnosis (genus) or original description (species)
Editor's Note: Additional distribution information for this taxon can be found in the 'Subspecies' article above. In the future we will develop a range-wide distribution article.
Habitat
Thorny deciduous brushland and forest in fairly open areas, e.g. llanos of Venezuela and Colombia; often near water, in gallery forest, along rivers or near lagoons. Marked preference for abandoned farmland, with mixed second growth and palms, but also found in suburban areas and active cultivation provided some natural vegetation is present (3
del Hoyo, J., and A. Motis (2004). Update chapter. In Curassows and Related Birds (J. Delacour, and D. Amadon), Second edition. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona, Spain, and American Museum of Natural History, New York, USA. pp. 322–476.
). Also clearings, in areas of humid forest. Mainly in lowlands; locally to 1600 m in Venezuela, but only to c. 900 in Colombia (3
del Hoyo, J., and A. Motis (2004). Update chapter. In Curassows and Related Birds (J. Delacour, and D. Amadon), Second edition. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona, Spain, and American Museum of Natural History, New York, USA. pp. 322–476.
).
Movement
No information available; presumably sedentary.
Diet and Foraging
Fruits, tender shoots and leaves
: 29 species identified in Venezuelan study, of which most important were Guettarda divaricata (Rubiaceae), Vitex compressa (Lamiaceae), Guazuma ulmifolia (Malvaceae), Randia venezuelensis (Rubiaceae), Psychotria microdon (Rubiaceae), Cordia collococca (Boraginaceae), Genipa sp. (Rubiaceae), Arrabidaea mollisima (Bignoniaceae) and Copernicia tectorum (Arecaceae) (3
del Hoyo, J., and A. Motis (2004). Update chapter. In Curassows and Related Birds (J. Delacour, and D. Amadon), Second edition. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona, Spain, and American Museum of Natural History, New York, USA. pp. 322–476.
); on Tobago, more than 35 species recorded in diet, among them native, cultivated and garden crop species (3
del Hoyo, J., and A. Motis (2004). Update chapter. In Curassows and Related Birds (J. Delacour, and D. Amadon), Second edition. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona, Spain, and American Museum of Natural History, New York, USA. pp. 322–476.
). Main food types are fruits, and occasionally leaves, of tree Genipa caruto, and nut-like fruits of palm Copernicia tectorum; on Tobago, very fond of Myrcia fallax (Myrtaceae) fruits (3
del Hoyo, J., and A. Motis (2004). Update chapter. In Curassows and Related Birds (J. Delacour, and D. Amadon), Second edition. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona, Spain, and American Museum of Natural History, New York, USA. pp. 322–476.
); fruit consumption peaks in wet season and decreases during drier months (3
del Hoyo, J., and A. Motis (2004). Update chapter. In Curassows and Related Birds (J. Delacour, and D. Amadon), Second edition. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona, Spain, and American Museum of Natural History, New York, USA. pp. 322–476.
). Hard seeds defecated intact, but softer material broken down (3
del Hoyo, J., and A. Motis (2004). Update chapter. In Curassows and Related Birds (J. Delacour, and D. Amadon), Second edition. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona, Spain, and American Museum of Natural History, New York, USA. pp. 322–476.
). Diet has been estimated to comprise 78·1% fruits and 21·9% invertebrates (4
Muñoz, M.C. and Kattan, G.H. (2007). Diets of cracids: how much do we know? Orn. Neotropical. 18(1): 21–36.
), but the species is also known to leaves and flowers of guarumo (Cecropia). Young chick was fed bananas at bird feeder (5
Thomas, B. T. (1993). Birds of a northern Venezuelan secondary-scrub habitat. Bulletin of the British Ornithologists' Club 113(1):9–17.
). Recorded taking poultry seed in Lesser Antilles (3
del Hoyo, J., and A. Motis (2004). Update chapter. In Curassows and Related Birds (J. Delacour, and D. Amadon), Second edition. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona, Spain, and American Museum of Natural History, New York, USA. pp. 322–476.
). Soil and grit also ingested; 10·3% of stomach contents in one study (3
del Hoyo, J., and A. Motis (2004). Update chapter. In Curassows and Related Birds (J. Delacour, and D. Amadon), Second edition. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona, Spain, and American Museum of Natural History, New York, USA. pp. 322–476.
). Visits water to drink, especially in dry season (Dec–Mar) (3
del Hoyo, J., and A. Motis (2004). Update chapter. In Curassows and Related Birds (J. Delacour, and D. Amadon), Second edition. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona, Spain, and American Museum of Natural History, New York, USA. pp. 322–476.
). Forages in flocks of 4–20 birds (usually comprising two pairs plus offspring) (6
Schmitz-Ornés, A. (1998). Group size and nesting in the Rufous-vented Chachalaca (Ortalis ruficauda) in north and central Venezuela. Orn. Neotropical. 9(2): 177–184.
), occasionally > 50; usually in trees, sometimes on ground; rarely perches in open (3
del Hoyo, J., and A. Motis (2004). Update chapter. In Curassows and Related Birds (J. Delacour, and D. Amadon), Second edition. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona, Spain, and American Museum of Natural History, New York, USA. pp. 322–476.
). Flocks generally largest during non-breeding period (3
del Hoyo, J., and A. Motis (2004). Update chapter. In Curassows and Related Birds (J. Delacour, and D. Amadon), Second edition. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona, Spain, and American Museum of Natural History, New York, USA. pp. 322–476.
).
Sounds and Vocal Behavior
Loudy noisy calls, like those of other chachalacas (3
del Hoyo, J., and A. Motis (2004). Update chapter. In Curassows and Related Birds (J. Delacour, and D. Amadon), Second edition. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona, Spain, and American Museum of Natural History, New York, USA. pp. 322–476.
), apparently given in duets within groups, one bird giving low-pitched grating “OTRA MAS” and the other answering with much higher-pitched “WATCH-a-lak”; neighbouring groups respond .
Breeding
Eggs in Jul in Colombia; year-round on Tobago, with peak Mar–Jul (3
del Hoyo, J., and A. Motis (2004). Update chapter. In Curassows and Related Birds (J. Delacour, and D. Amadon), Second edition. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona, Spain, and American Museum of Natural History, New York, USA. pp. 322–476.
); probably mainly Feb
–Sep in Venezuela (3
del Hoyo, J., and A. Motis (2004). Update chapter. In Curassows and Related Birds (J. Delacour, and D. Amadon), Second edition. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona, Spain, and American Museum of Natural History, New York, USA. pp. 322–476.
), where downy young seen Jan, Mar and late Oct (5
Thomas, B. T. (1993). Birds of a northern Venezuelan secondary-scrub habitat. Bulletin of the British Ornithologists' Club 113(1):9–17.
). Pair-bond apparently maintained year-round; monogamous but probably not or only weakly territorial (6
Schmitz-Ornés, A. (1998). Group size and nesting in the Rufous-vented Chachalaca (Ortalis ruficauda) in north and central Venezuela. Orn. Neotropical. 9(2): 177–184.
). Nest a basket-like structure (c. 30·5 cm × 25 cm) (6
Schmitz-Ornés, A. (1998). Group size and nesting in the Rufous-vented Chachalaca (Ortalis ruficauda) in north and central Venezuela. Orn. Neotropical. 9(2): 177–184.
), of twigs and leaves, built in trees or in vines (6
Schmitz-Ornés, A. (1998). Group size and nesting in the Rufous-vented Chachalaca (Ortalis ruficauda) in north and central Venezuela. Orn. Neotropical. 9(2): 177–184.
), sometimes adapted from abandoned nest of another bird, e.g. a dove (6
Schmitz-Ornés, A. (1998). Group size and nesting in the Rufous-vented Chachalaca (Ortalis ruficauda) in north and central Venezuela. Orn. Neotropical. 9(2): 177–184.
), usually 1–5 m (6
Schmitz-Ornés, A. (1998). Group size and nesting in the Rufous-vented Chachalaca (Ortalis ruficauda) in north and central Venezuela. Orn. Neotropical. 9(2): 177–184.
) above ground, occasionally as high as 25 m (3
del Hoyo, J., and A. Motis (2004). Update chapter. In Curassows and Related Birds (J. Delacour, and D. Amadon), Second edition. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona, Spain, and American Museum of Natural History, New York, USA. pp. 322–476.
); only Ortalis definitely known to nest on ground occasionally, at edge of grassy glades; perhaps even more exceptionally recorded nesting on wire fence and in mosquito netting near a window (3
del Hoyo, J., and A. Motis (2004). Update chapter. In Curassows and Related Birds (J. Delacour, and D. Amadon), Second edition. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona, Spain, and American Museum of Natural History, New York, USA. pp. 322–476.
). Lays 3–4 eggs, pale ivory when fresh but becoming brownish during incubation (1
Delacour, J., and D. Amadon (2004). Curassows and Related Birds. Second edition. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona, Spain, and American Museum of Natural History, New York, USA.
), occasionally two, 65–67·5 mm × 42·75–44·5 mm (1
Delacour, J., and D. Amadon (2004). Curassows and Related Birds. Second edition. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona, Spain, and American Museum of Natural History, New York, USA.
); incubation c. 28 days. Chick principally rufous with very dark stripes over crown and nape
(5
Thomas, B. T. (1993). Birds of a northern Venezuelan secondary-scrub habitat. Bulletin of the British Ornithologists' Club 113(1):9–17.
), largely white underparts and rufous and dark barred wings
. One juvenile weighing only 300 g seen to fly as well as an adult.
Not globally threatened (Least Concern). Common in Colombia, especially on Guajira Peninsula (3
del Hoyo, J., and A. Motis (2004). Update chapter. In Curassows and Related Birds (J. Delacour, and D. Amadon), Second edition. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona, Spain, and American Museum of Natural History, New York, USA. pp. 322–476.
). Widespread and generally abundant in Venezuela
(3
del Hoyo, J., and A. Motis (2004). Update chapter. In Curassows and Related Birds (J. Delacour, and D. Amadon), Second edition. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona, Spain, and American Museum of Natural History, New York, USA. pp. 322–476.
). Secure on Tobago
, where declared the island’s national bird in 1962 and occupies virtually all habitats (3
del Hoyo, J., and A. Motis (2004). Update chapter. In Curassows and Related Birds (J. Delacour, and D. Amadon), Second edition. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona, Spain, and American Museum of Natural History, New York, USA. pp. 322–476.
); an increase in numbers was observed when many farms abandoned after a hurricane in 1963. In Grenadines, c. 150 pairs recently estimated on Bequia I, but probably many fewer on Union I (7
Smith, P.W. and Smith, S.A. (1999). The Rufous-vented Chachalaca (Ortalis ruficauda) in the West Indies. El Pitirre. 12(3): 83–84.
). Fires may threaten species’ habitat in some areas, though hunting is perhaps single largest direct threat (3
del Hoyo, J., and A. Motis (2004). Update chapter. In Curassows and Related Birds (J. Delacour, and D. Amadon), Second edition. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona, Spain, and American Museum of Natural History, New York, USA. pp. 322–476.
). Although adaptable, being found in both agricultural and suburban areas, it also requires dense vegetation or forest nearby (8
Schmitz-Ornés, A. (1999). Vulnerability of Rufous-vented Chachalacas (Ortalis ruficauda, Cracidae) to man-induced habitat alterations in northern Venezuela. Orn. Neotropical. 10(1): 27–34.
). Uncommon in collections, but has been bred.
del Hoyo, J. and G. M. Kirwan (2020). Rufous-vented Chachalaca (Ortalis ruficauda), 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.ruvcha1.01
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