SACC Accepts Colombian Chachalaca Split

The South American Classification Committee has made final the split of Colombian Chachalaca, Ortalis colombiana, from Speckled Chachalaca, Ortalis guttata.

This is an old chestnut of allopatric populations on which various authorities have taken different views over the years.  SACC has had this issue down as requiring a proposal for many years.  There has now also been a study of voice that supports one of the two approaches, i.e. splitting columbiana.  If anyone wants to do a separate proposal on splitting the vocally more similar Brazilian taxa, then that would be a separate matter.

So it seems that there might be more splits in the future. To read the whole of Proposal 439 as well as the committee members’ comments, go to the SACC website here.

Top Photo:  Colombian Chachalaca kindly from Matt Gable

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