Red-legged seriema

Cariama cristata

Photo by José Fonseca (Wikipedia)

Common name:
red-legged seriema (en); seriema (pt); cariama huppé (fr); chuña de patas rojas (es); rotfußseriema (de)


Taxonomy:
Order Gruiformes
Family Cariamidae


Range:
These birds are found in southern Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay, Uruguay and northern Argentina.


Size:
The red-legged seriema is 75-90 cm long and weighs up to 1,5 kg.


Habitat:
They are mostly found in dry savannas, pastures, grasslands and sparse woodlands, from sea level up to an altitude of 2.100 m.


Diet:
Red-legged seriemas are omnivorous, eating insects, small rodents, lizards, snakes, frogs, other birds, and also leaves, fruits and seeds, including cultivated crops such as maize, beans and grain.


Breeding:
These birds breed in May-September. Both sexes build the nest, a platform of twigs and branches, lined with mud and leaves, placed in a tree 1-5 m above the ground. The female lays 2 pinkish-white egg with light brown speckles, which are incubated by both sexes for 24-30 days. The chicks leave the nest 2 weeks after hatching, when they are not yet able to fly, and follow the parents around until becoming independent 4-5 months later.


Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
The red-legged seriema has a very large breeding range and, although the global population size is yet to be quantified, it is described as fairly common. The population is suspected to be stable in the absence of evidence for any declines or substantial threats, and may even be benefiting from deforestation in some areas.