Nature Scenes with Lynn Bowen: Plain Chachalaca

BEACON PHOTO/LYNN BOWEN
This is a Plain Chachalaca that I saw in southern Texas a couple of years ago in a wooded area. Apparently they come straight north from Mexico into just the tip of Texas, so Florida never has any of these birds, nor does any other U.S. state!

By Lynn Bowen
BEACON COLUMNIST

posted Nov 2, 2009 - 11:02:45am

"Halo, halo. You've never seen me in Florida. I only visit the southern tip of Texas because it looks like my home in Central America and Mexico. I'm a plain chachalaca, so don't confuse me with the grey-headed chachalaca or the little chachalaca, both from South America — neither of them visits the U.S.

"I'm wary of people and creatures. When danger is around, I run and leap, rather than fly, since I'm not a great flier. I look like no other U.S. bird. I'm 22 inches long and have only a 26-inch wingspan, which explains why I'm not wonderful at flying. (After all, a laughing gull has a 16-inch body with a 40-inch wingspan, so we all know why he's a great flier.)

"My weight is 1.2 pounds, and I find comfort being with my feathered relatives in small groups of about 15 birds. My neck is long, my head is small, and my color is drab olive-brown, except for my buff belly.

"I live in dense, bushy woods close to water. My diet is leaves, flowers, grains, berries, buds and insects, which are mainly on the ground. I scamper around on the forest floor most of the time, but sometimes fly to a tree to find food or roost at night.

"I know I'm just plain — it's part of my name. But even though my plumes aren't like those of a peacock, and my voice isn't like a parrot's voice, and my flight isn't like that of an eagle, I'm still special. Just watch me prance, dance and romp in the leaves in the forest, and you'll see my charm. But I'm not easy to see, since I love to hide if I see an audience.

"In case you're curious, my name comes from my loud call. It sounds like cha-cha-Ia-ca, except the "l" isn't clear — but it's still easy to remember! Adios, Amigos."

— Bowen lives in DeLand. Send e-mail to abowen27@cfl.rr.com.

— abowen27@cfl.rr.com

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