Red-legged Seriema Cariama cristata Scientific name definitions

"Se parexe a los páxaros de ribera en las zancas, pies y uñas, y aun en la figura total del cuerpo; y el pico es gallináceo, el porte y cuello de Ñandú, la pestaña muy peluda, el ojo muy grande. Sin embargo á nadie se parece." – Félix de Azara (Apuntamientos para la historia natural de los páxaros del Paraguay y Río de la Plata, 1802–1805).

["It resembles wader birds in its legs, feet, and claws, and even in the total figure of the body; and the beak is chicken-like, the posture and neck of a Rhea, the eyelash very hairy, the eye very large. However, it looks like no one else."]

The Red-legged Seriema is a striking, easily recognizable bird of open woodland, thorny scrub, and hilly grassland. Its large size, bright red bill, long bright red legs, and prominent loose crest make it a visually distinctive species. This bird is a capable predator and opportunistic feeder with a varied diet, taking a wide range of foods, including arthropods, lizards, snakes, small rodents, eggs, corn and other grains, and wild fruit. One of its most fascinating features is its characteristic method of dealing with vertebrate prey. The prey is grabbed with the bill, killed by violent shaking and beating on the substrate, and subsequently torn into pieces and consumed. The species is also well-known for its barking song, performed in duets by pairs of birds in the early morning. Breeding times for this species vary by region: birds in northeast Brazil breed February–July, while those in central Brazil breed November–December. Some populations have local movements, but overall, the species is sedentary and has no distinct migratory pattern. The Red-legged Seriema is widespread but uncommon throughout its range. In some places, it is hunted for meat.