English - Red-legged Seriema 

Portuguese - Seriema 

Latin - Cariama cristata 

The Red Legged Seriema is an unusual bird, found in South America, from Brazil, south of the Amazon River to Uruguay and northern Argentina. They are thought to be a relative of the crane, but could also be closely related to Cuckoos, Falcons, or Parrots. It is still a widely disputed question. 

They are around 75 to 90 cm in length and weighs about 1.5 kg, with a fairly long neck, tail, and legs. The plumage is medium brown above with black markings; pale brown on the head, neck, and breast; and white on the belly. The tail has a black band near the tip and a white tip. The beak and legs are red, and the eyes are yellow. Soft feathers emerge from the base of the bill to form a fan-shaped crest. Both sexes are similar but the male is larger. The immature resembles adult with more strongly marked head, neck and back.

The Red-legged Seriema is an omnivore but also highly carnivorous. This species feeds mainly on arthropods and insect larvae, reptiles and small vertebrates including rodents. Occasionally, it also feeds on plant matter such as various crop seeds, fruits and tree gum. This large bird often feeds alone or in pairs, but also in small family groups according to the season. This terrestrial bird feeds by walking slowly, taking preys from the ground or the low vegetation. Its cryptic plumage allows it to remain concealed. The small vertebrates are caught with the bill, then beaten to death against the hard ground, and finally torn into pieces with help of bill and claws, before being swallow. 

The breeding season involves courtship displays by the males. These displays are similar to those of some Phasianidae species when the male exposes the barred flight feathers by lateral stretching. And when it twists its wings, it acts similair to some Otididae species. Another display shows the male performing a ceremonial strutting walk while it raises the nuchal crest with the bill pointing downwards. In this period, their songs can be heard before dawn. The breeding season varies according to the range, but often occurs during the rainy season. This species is a solitary nester and monogamous. The nest is built by both sexes on branches of small trees. This is a round structure made with sticks and twigs, and lined with leaves, mud or cattle dung. It is placed about 1 to 5 metres above the ground. The female lays two white eggs with some weak markings. The incubation lasts 25-30 days, mainly by the female. The chicks have long pale brown feathers on the head. Both parents feed them. They leave the nest two weeks after hatching, and follow their parents on the ground. They fledge at one month. They need 4-5 months to gain the adult plumage. 

The Red-legged Seriema is famed for its call. It is often compared to the sound of a puppy yelping, but much louder, as the call can be heard from several kilometers away. They usually call in the early-to-mid morning, but it can be heard at any time of day and even after dark. The song is used to define territory between pairs. The call is often a duet between members of a pair, and consists of three parts. These parts are not necessarily sung together. When the Seriema begins to sing, it holds it head straight, but by the end of its song (which is the loudest part) the head is held so far back that it nearly touches the bird’s back.

The Red-legged Seriema is a widespread species, but at low densities. It suffers habitat degradation by human development, but it is able to adapt to new situations. According to it’s range, this bird can be hunted for meat, or protected by farmers because it is a consumer of reptiles and rodents. They have benefited from deforestation, allowing them to expand their habitat. This species breeds well in captivity, and is not currently a threatenedn species.

Photos of the Red-legged Seriema were taken at Parque das Arves - Foz do Iguacu - Parana