Grey Headed Chachalaca

Copyright: monacoeye • Do not copy without permission • Panama, April 2010

Bird name: Grey Headed Chachalaca
Latin: Ortalis cinereiceps
Other: Guacharaca de cabeza gris (Es)
Family: Cracidae • Chachalacas
Range: Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, N Colombia
Similar: Plain Chachalaca

I always seemed to be battling the light when I saw Grey-headed Chachalacas in Panama. They were not that uncommon - I saw a pair walking ten feet in front of my cabin door at the Canopy Lodge at dusk, and on further investigation noticed them several other days lurking in the dense branches surrounding the hotel. We also saw a large group of them crashing through the trees at Gamboa Rainforest Centre.

They look similar to Plain Chachalacas, which I understand in Panama replace Grey-headed on the north Caribbean slope. Grey-headed Chachalacas have more chestnut colouring on the wing.