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Cracidae - Chachalacas, Curassows, Guans

There are 50 species in this family. They are found in Central and South America. One species in the family, the plain chachalaca, is found in southern Texas.

These birds are similar in shape to turkeys. They have long, thick tails; small bills, large feet, and small heads. They are dull in color and eat seeds, insects, worms, and fruit.

They nest in trees, and their chicks are precocial and can move around and feed themselves shortly after birth, and can fly a few days after hatching.

  • The wattled guan is found in Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
    Wattled Guan
    (Aburria aburri)
    The wattled guan is found in Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
  • The sickle-winged guan is found in Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
    Sickle-Winged Guan
    (Chamaepetes goudotii)
    The sickle-winged guan is found in Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
  • The black guan is found in Costa Rica and Panama. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
    Black Guan
    (Chamaepetes unicolor)
    The black guan is found in Costa Rica and Panama. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
  • The blue-billed curassow is found in Colombia. IUCN Redlist Status: Critically Endangered
    Blue-Billed Curassow
    (Crax alberti)
    The blue-billed curassow is found in Colombia. IUCN Redlist Status: Critically Endangered
  • The black curassow is found in Brazil, Colombia, French Guiana, Guyana, Suriname, and Venezuela. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
    Black Curassow
    (Crax alector)
    The black curassow is found in Brazil, Colombia, French Guiana, Guyana, Suriname, and Venezuela. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
  • The red-billed curassow, also known as the red-knobbed curassow is found in Brazil. IUCN Redlist Status: Endangered
    Red-Billed Curassow
    (Crax blumenbachii)
    The red-billed curassow, also known as the red-knobbed curassow is found in Brazil. IUCN Redlist Status: Endangered
  • The yellow-knobbed curassow is found in Colombia and Venezuela. IUCN Redlist Status: Near Threatened
    Yellow-Knobbed Curassow
    (Crax daubentoni)
    The yellow-knobbed curassow is found in Colombia and Venezuela. IUCN Redlist Status: Near Threatened
  • The bare-faced curassow is found in Brazil, Argentina, Bolivia, and Paraguay. IUCN Redlist Status: Vulnerable
    Bare-Faced Curassow
    (Crax fasciolata)
    The bare-faced curassow is found in Brazil, Argentina, Bolivia, and Paraguay. IUCN Redlist Status: Vulnerable
  • The wattled curassow is found in Brazil, Colombia, Peru, and Bolivia. IUCN Redlist Status: Endangered
    Wattled Curassow
    (Crax globulosa)
    The wattled curassow is found in Brazil, Colombia, Peru, and Bolivia. IUCN Redlist Status: Endangered
  • The great Curassow is found from southern Mexico south through Central America and into Colombia and Ecuador in South America. IUCN Redlist Status: Vulnerable
    Great Curassow
    (Crax rubra)
    The great Curassow is found from southern Mexico south through Central America and into Colombia and Ecuador in South America. IUCN Redlist Status: Vulnerable
  • The Alagoas curassow was once found in Brazil. IUCN Redlist Status: Extinct in the Wild
    Alagoas Curassow
    (Mitu mitu)
    The Alagoas curassow was once found in Brazil. IUCN Redlist Status: Extinct in the Wild
  • Salvin’s curassow is found in Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
    Salvin's Curassow
    (Mitu salvini)
    Salvin’s curassow is found in Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
  • The razor-billed curassow is found in Brazil, Colombia, Peru, and Bolivia. IUCN Redlist Status: Near Threatened
    Razor-Billed Curassow
    (Mitu tuberosum)
    The razor-billed curassow is found in Brazil, Colombia, Peru, and Bolivia. IUCN Redlist Status: Near Threatened
  • The nocturnal curassow is found in Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
    Nocturnal Curassow
    (Nothocrax urumutum)
    The nocturnal curassow is found in Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
  • The horned guan is found in Guatemala and Mexico. IUCN Redlist Status: Endangered
    Horned Guan
    (Oreophasis derbianus)
    The horned guan is found in Guatemala and Mexico. IUCN Redlist Status: Endangered
  • The Chaco chachalaca is found in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
    Chaco Chachalaca
    (Ortalis canicollis)
    The Chaco chachalaca is found in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
  • The gray-headed chachalaca is found in Colombia, Costa Rica, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Panama. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
    Gray-Headed Chachalaca
    (Ortalis cinereiceps)
    The gray-headed chachalaca is found in Colombia, Costa Rica, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Panama. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
  • The rufous-headed chachalaca is found in Ecuador, Peru, and Colombia. IUCN Redlist Status: Vulnerable
    Rufous-Headed Chachalaca
    (Ortalis erythroptera)
    The rufous-headed chachalaca is found in Ecuador, Peru, and Colombia. IUCN Redlist Status: Vulnerable
  • The chestnut-winged chachalaca is found in Colombia. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
    Chestnut-Winged Chachalaca
    (Ortalis garrula)
    The chestnut-winged chachalaca is found in Colombia. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
  • The speckled chachalaca is found in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
    Speckled Chachalaca
    (Ortalis guttata)
    The speckled chachalaca is found in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
  • The white-bellied chachalaca is found in Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, and Nicaragua. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
    White-Bellied Chachalaca
    (Ortalis leucogastra)
    The white-bellied chachalaca is found in Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, and Nicaragua. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
  • The west Mexican chachalaca is found in Mexico. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
    West Mexican Chachalaca
    (Ortalis poliocephala)
    The west Mexican chachalaca is found in Mexico. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
  • The rufous-vented chachalaca is found in Colombia, Venezuela, Trinidad and Tobago, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
    Rufous-Vented Chachalaca
    (Ortalis ruficauda)
    The rufous-vented chachalaca is found in Colombia, Venezuela, Trinidad and Tobago, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
  • The buff-browed chachalaca is found in Brazil. IUCN Redlist Status: Near Threatened
    Buff-Browed Chachalaca
    (Ortalis superciliaris)
    The buff-browed chachalaca is found in Brazil. IUCN Redlist Status: Near Threatened
  • The plain chachalaca is found in Texas, Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, Costa Rica, Honduras, and Nicaragua. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
    Plain Chachalaca
    (Ortalis vetula)
    The plain chachalaca is found in Texas, Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, Costa Rica, Honduras, and Nicaragua. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
  • The rufous-bellied chachalaca is found in Mexico. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
    Rufous-Bellied Chachalaca
    (Ortalis wagleri)
    The rufous-bellied chachalaca is found in Mexico. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
  • The helmeted curassow is found in Colombia and Venezuela. IUCN Redlist Status: Vulnerable
    Helmeted Curassow
    (Pauxi pauxi)
    The helmeted curassow is found in Colombia and Venezuela. IUCN Redlist Status: Vulnerable
  • The horned curassow, also known as the southern helmeted curassow, is found in Bolivia. IUCN Redlist Status: Critically Endangered
    Horned Curassow
    (Pauxi unicornis)
    The horned curassow, also known as the southern helmeted curassow, is found in Bolivia. IUCN Redlist Status: Critically Endangered
  • The white-winged guan is found in Peru. IUCN Redlist Status: Endangered
    White-Winged Guan
    (Penelope albipennis)
    The white-winged guan is found in Peru. IUCN Redlist Status: Endangered
  • The band-tailed guan is found in Colombia and Venezuela. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
    Band-Tailed Guan
    (Penelope argyrotis)
    The band-tailed guan is found in Colombia and Venezuela. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
  • The bearded guan is found in Ecuador and Peru. IUCN Redlist Status: Near Threatened
    Bearded Guan
    (Penelope barbata)
    The bearded guan is found in Ecuador and Peru. IUCN Redlist Status: Near Threatened
  • The red-faced guan is found in Argentina and Bolivia. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern
    Red-Faced Guan
    (Penelope dabbenei)
    The red-faced guan is found in Argentina and Bolivia. IUCN Redlist Status: Least Concern

Did You Know?

The plain chachalaca is found in southern Texas.
The plain chachalaca is found in southern Texas.

World Status Key

Status and range is taken from IUCN Redlist

Least Concern
Near Threatened
Vulnerable
Endangered
Critically Endangered
Extinct in the Wild
Extinct
Not Enough Data

U.S. Status Key

Status taken from US Fish and Wildlife

Threatened in US
Endangered in US
Introduced

NH Status Key

Status taken from NH Fish and Game

Threatened in NH
Endangered in NH
Breeds in NH (birds)

Location Key

Africa
Asia
Australia/Oceania
Europe
North/Central America
south america alt
South America

New Hampshire Species

No animals found.

Other Species Around the World

Plain Chachalaca - Ortalis vetulaLeast ConcernNorth/Central America

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