The little chachalaca is a bird in the family Cracidae, the chachalacas, guans, and curassows. It is found in Brazil, French Guiana, Suriname, Guyana, Venezuela and possibly Colombia.
Region
Guiana Shield
Typical Environment
Occurs in lowland tropical forests of northern Brazil, the Guianas, and eastern Venezuela, with possible occurrence in adjacent Colombia. Prefers evergreen and semi-deciduous forests, gallery forests, and forest edges. Frequently uses secondary growth, riverine thickets, and wooded savannas. Often found near human-modified habitats such as plantations and fallows where fruiting trees are present.
Altitude Range
0–1200 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 2/5
Little chachalacas are social, often heard before they’re seen thanks to loud, dawn choruses of chattering calls. They play an important role as seed dispersers for many forest plants. The species tolerates edges and secondary growth, sometimes venturing near farms and villages. Although locally hunted, it persists where forest cover remains.
Temperament
social and active
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats with brief glides
Social Behavior
Usually in small family parties or loose groups that forage together and deliver group choruses at dawn. Generally monogamous; nests are simple platforms of sticks and leaves placed in dense vegetation or trees. Clutches are small, typically two to three eggs, and both parents help guard the brood.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Vocalizations are loud, harsh, and rhythmic, often rendered as repeated chattering and rattling phrases that carry far through the forest. Groups often call in overlapping sequences at dawn and dusk, while softer clucks and contact notes are given while foraging.
