Alternative name: Variable Chachalaca
- Ortalis motmot
Identification
38 cm. It has a chestnut head, a red dewlap and brown wings.
Distribution
Northern Brazil, French Guiana, Suriname, Guyana, and Venezuela.
Taxonomy
Two subspecies are recognized: motmot and ruficeps (second one south of the Amazon).
Habitat
Clearings and forest patches with dense undergrowth
Behaviour
It feeds on fruit and berries both on the ground and in the trees.
Most likely to be vocal just before dawn (5:30-6 am). Skulking behavior makes this species difficult to see.
References
- Clements, James F. 2007. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to October 2007. Ithaca: Cornell University Press. ISBN 9780801445019
- Restall et al. 2006. Birds of Northern South America. Yale University Press. ISBN 9780300124156
