Guide to North American Birds

Explore more than 800 North American bird species, learn about their lives and habitats, and how climate change is impacting their ability to survive.

1 birds

Plain Chachalaca

Ortalis vetula

Chachalacas

At a Glance

Our only representative of a distinctive tropical family. Plain Chachalacas are common in a limited area of southern Texas, where their flocks live in thickets or riverside woods. Frequently, especially at dawn and dusk, a flock will perch in a tall tree and give voice to a disorganized clattering chorus of cha-cha-lac calls.

Conservation Status

Least Concern

Habitat

Forests and Woodlands, Shrublands, Savannas, and Thickets