English             -               East Brazilian Chachalaca

Portuguese      -               Aracuã-de-barriga-branca

Latin                 -               Ortalis araucuan

The East Brazilian Chachalaca is a species of bird in the Cracidae family. It is a Monotypic species and was previously considered a subspecies of the speckled chachalaca.          

 The East Brazilian Chachalaca is around 50 cm in length. It has a brown upper side and neck, throat, and upper breast, while underside is paler in most subspecies. All forms have white fringes to dark feathers producing a scaled effect. Tail has outer feather rufous in colour . Legs and feet are dark. A red throat skin fold is sometimes visible. The call / sound of the East Brazilian Chachalaca is a “re-a-tok” sound which is repetitive. (Sounds like a chicken)                       

The East Brazilian Chachalaca is found in the forest of the Atlantic forests in eastern Brazil. Its habitat includes forested areas, including second growth, caatinga and coastal forests.

The East Brazilian Chachalaca diet includes an array of fruit, particularly bananas. Readily visits garden feeders when available.                                      

There is very little information regarding how the East Brazilian Chachalaca breeds.

The East Brazilian Chachalaca is not globally threatened at this stage and is classed as a species ”of Least Concern”. Global population not quantified, but probably reasonably large and fairly common in many parts of its range but thought numbers could be in a slight decline due to habitat destruction of the Atlantic forest.

Photo of the East Brazilian Chachalaca was taken at National Institute of the Atlantic Forest - Santa Teresa - Espirito Santo.