Rufous-vented Chachalaca

Ortalis ruficauda

The rufous-vented chachalaca (Ortalis ruficauda) is a member of an ancient group of birds of the family Cracidae, which are related to the Australasian mound builders. It inhabits northeast Colombia and northern Venezuela where it is called guacharaca, and the island of Tobago in Trinidad and Tobago where it is known as the cocrico and is one of the country's two national birds. It is also found on Bequia and Union Island in the Grenadines where it may have been introduced. This species is one of the national birds of Trinidad and Tobago and is featured on that country's coat of arms along with the scarlet ibis, the ibis representing Trinidad and the cocrico representing Tobago.