Subject: Rufous-vented Chachalaca, Ortalis ruficauda

Location: Near Speyside, Tobago, Trinidad & Tobago

Stock Number: 10-28769

Comments: The dual island nation of Trinidad & Tobago has two national birds. This one, the Rufous-vented Chachalaca, is found on Tobago but not Trinidad, while the reverse is true of the Scarlet Ibis. Both birds appear on the nation's seal.

Aside from Tobago, the Rufous-vented Chachalaca is found in northern Venezuela and northern Colombia, as well as on several small islands.

The Chachalaca has catholic tastes when it comes to food, rooting up young shoots, plucking berries, attacking fallen fruits, and occasionally eating farmers' crops. For their part, farmers and other Tobagians often eat Chachalaca.

The birds' raucous calls, used to keep in touch with other members of the species in dense forest, gives the Chachalaca its common name.

Related images: Our Birds image gallery has more photographs from Latin America, Canada, and the United States.