About Ortalis cinereiceps G.R.Gray, 1867
The grey-headed chachalaca (Ortalis cinereiceps G.R.Gray, 1867) is a medium-sized bird with a general appearance similar to turkeys. It has a small head, long strong legs, and a long broad tail. Adults measure 48 to 58 cm (1.6 to 1.9 ft) in length and weigh 490 to 540 g (1.1 to 1.2 lb). Their plumage is fairly dull: they are grayish brown above and paler below. The head is dark grey with a red dewlap, the blackish tail is tipped with buff, and the primary flight feathers are bright chestnut. Juveniles are browner overall, especially on the head. This species is distributed from Mosquitia in eastern Honduras, through eastern Nicaragua and most of Costa Rica and Panama, into Colombia's Chocó Department. In addition to mainland Panama, it occurs on Isla del Rey, where it may have been introduced by Native Americans. It inhabits a variety of humid landscapes that have dense vegetation, including thickets, secondary forest, brushy abandoned fields, and thinned forests. It avoids the interior of dense forest, though it can be found along forest edges. Its elevational range extends from sea level up to 1,700 m (5,600 ft).
