About Ortalis leucogastra (Gould, 1843)
The white-bellied chachalaca, scientifically named Ortalis leucogastra (Gould, 1843), measures 43 to 50 cm (1.4 to 1.6 ft) in length and weighs 439 to 560 g (0.97 to 1.2 lb). Its head, upperparts, and breast are brown, while its belly is dull white. Its brown tail has a white tip, and bare dark slate-colored facial skin surrounds the eye. The species ranges from southeastern Chiapas in extreme southwestern Mexico, through southern Guatemala, El Salvador, and southern Honduras, to northwestern Nicaragua. It mainly lives in swamp forest and swamps with thick scrub, and can also be found in dry forest, pasture edges, and mangroves. It is most common on the Pacific coastal plain, but in Guatemala it can be found at elevations up to approximately 1,500 m (4,900 ft).
