Stats

Lifespan

8-12 yrs

Size

Medium

Diet

Omnivore

Activity

Diurnal

Social

Flock

Biome

Tropical rainforest

Range

South America

Movement

Flight

Breeding

Egg-laying

Defense

Camouflage

Status

Rare

About

Variable Chachalacas are small birds native to tropical South America. They are known for their ability to change their plumage color in response to the environment, with different shades of green, brown, and yellow.

Life cycle

1. 1.
   egg

   A large clutch of eggs sits in a shallow ground scrape, incubated by the hen until the brood hatches together.
2. 2.
   hatchling chick

   A downy chick leaves the nest within hours of hatching and pecks for food alongside the hen.
3. 3.
   juvenile

   A juvenile grows its first body feathers, learns to fly short bursts, and stays in the brood until fledged.
4. 4.
   adult

   Fully grown with adult plumage.

Learn more

• View on iNaturalist →

Taxonomy

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Chordata

Class

Aves

Order

Galliformes

Family

Cracidae

Genus

Ortalis

Species

Ortalis motmot