The family Cracidae includes 1 species found in North America.

Curassows, Guans and Chachalacas are long-tailed and arboreal with strong toes and long, strong legs. The beak is heavy and decurved. Wings are short and rounded. Food is mainly buds and fruits, occasionally small animals, including insects and frogs, are eaten. Cracids do not scratch for food as much as do the galliforms.

The nest is loosely woven of dry twigs and leaves, usually in a tree, sometimes over water; a few species nest on the ground. 2-3, rarely 4, white eggs. Incubation 22-35 days in different species; young are led from nest by female on first day, able to fly in 3-4 days. Plumage of chicks light brown or black, some with stripes. Adults provide mainly animal food which is presented in the bill to the young. Chachalacas are partly polygamous and form nesting groups in which males cooperate in nest building.