NATURAL HISTORY · CATALOGUE RECORD
Colombian Chachalaca
Ortalis columbiana Hellmayr, 1906
Source-backed taxonomic record
Accepted species in Catalogue of Life’s 11 September 2026 base release. This preserves the source classification and available supporting data; it is not a completed species monograph.
Open encyclopedia reference
The Colombian chachalaca (Ortalis columbiana) is a species of bird in the family Cracidae. It is endemic to the forests and woodlands in the inter-Andean valleys in Colombia. Colombian chachalacas are frugivorous and lead an arboreal lifestyle. The large seeds they disperse through defecation support the maintenance of diverse tropical forests.
Wikipedia contributors, Colombian chachalaca; see linked history · CC BY-SA 4.0 . Plain-text lead excerpt, at most 180 words; no infobox or later sections Retrieved 2026-10-05T07:43:29.025473+00:00. This reference remains separate from the taxonomic record.
Identity & source status
- Scientific name
- Ortalis columbiana Hellmayr, 1906
- Name authority
- Hellmayr, 1906
- Common name
- Colombian Chachalaca
- Rank
- species
- Accepted status
- accepted
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Aves
- Order
- Galliformes
- Family
- Cracidae
- Genus
- Ortalis
- Extinction status
- Recorded extant
Classification family tree
Nested taxonomic groups from the source. This is not a direct-ancestor chain, a dated evolutionary tree or a phylogenetic reconstruction.
- domainEukaryota (Chatton, 1925) Whittaker & Margulis, 1978
- kingdomAnimalia
- phylumChordata
- subphylumVertebrata
- infraphylumGnathostomata
- parvphylumOsteichthyes
- megaclassTetrapoda
- classAves
- orderGalliformes
- familyCracidae
- subfamilyPenelopinae
- genusOrtalis Merrem, 1786
- speciesOrtalis columbiana Hellmayr, 1906
Close classified relatives
These entries share the source’s genus, Ortalis. They are not necessarily the closest relatives established by molecular evidence.
| Species | Classification | Source status |
|---|---|---|
| Buff-browed ChachalacaOrtalis superciliaris G. R. Gray, 1867 | CracidaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
| Gray-headed ChachalacaOrtalis cinereiceps G. R. Gray, 1867 | CracidaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
| East Brazilian ChachalacaOrtalis araucuan (Spix, 1825) | CracidaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
| Chaco ChachalacaOrtalis canicollis (Wagler, 1830) | CracidaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
| Rufous-headed ChachalacaOrtalis erythroptera P. L. Sclater & Salvin, 1870 | CracidaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
| Rufous-bellied ChachalacaOrtalis wagleri G. R. Gray, 1867 | CracidaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
Names & synonyms
Names explicitly linked to this accepted taxon in the source. Synonymy can change with revision.
| Recorded name | Source status |
|---|---|
| Ortalis guttata colombiana Hellmayr, 1906 Hellmayr, 1906 | synonym |
| Ortalis guttata columbiana Hellmayr, 1906 Hellmayr, 1906 | synonym |
Documented distribution
Source distribution statements, not a complete range map. A listed locality is not necessarily a place of origin.
Source literature & publication evidence
References attached to this source record, including nomenclatural citations where supplied. This is a selected bibliography; abbreviated citations remain in the source’s form.
- https://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=715231 Source fields: Taxon.tsv dwc:namePublishedIn, Taxon.tsv dcterms:references
Origins, evidence & remaining research
Name authority and publication references document nomenclature where the source supplies it. They do not establish evolutionary origins or the earliest fossil occurrence.
Specimen-level evidence, morphology, ecological research, phylogenetic studies, a comprehensive bibliography and a located literary passage have not yet been compiled for this record. A suitable sourced image remains to be added.
Dataset citation & attribution
This exact taxon in ChecklistBank · Catalogue of Life 2026-09-11
Catalogue of Life 2026-09-11; dataset 316321; doi:10.48580/dgz5n. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ . Retrieved 5 October 2026.
Stable key: col:6SXH2. Classification follows source parent identifiers. English common names may vary by region.