Screamer (Chauna torquata)

BirdWetlandSouth America

Overview

Screamers (family Anhimidae) are large, bulky wetland birds of South America, named for their loud, far-carrying calls. The southern screamer (Chauna torquata), shown here, is a grey, goose-sized bird with a small chicken-like head and a band around the neck. Despite looking nothing like a duck, screamers are actually relatives of waterfowl (ducks, geese, and swans) — one of the more surprising relationships in the bird family tree.

They have some unusual anatomy too, including sharp spurs on the wings and a layer of tiny air sacs just beneath the skin that gives a crackling feel.

Note: there are three screamer species; details here use the southern screamer as a reference. Treat general statements as approximate and verify against authoritative sources.

Habitat & Range

Screamers live in marshes, wet grasslands, lagoons, and the edges of lakes and rivers across much of South America. The southern screamer is common in the wetlands of the south-central part of the continent, including the Pantanal and the plains of Argentina, Paraguay, and neighbouring areas, where it wades and grazes in shallow water and damp meadows.

Diet

Screamers are mainly herbivores, grazing on the leaves, stems, shoots, roots, and seeds of water plants and grasses, with some small invertebrates taken incidentally. They feed by walking through marshy vegetation and shallow water, and despite their bulk they swim well and can also perch in trees.

Behavior

Screamers are best known for their voices — loud, trumpeting or honking calls that carry over long distances and are often given in duet by a pair, advertising territory across the wetland. Each wing carries two sharp bony spurs used in disputes and defence. Beneath the skin lies a network of tiny air sacs that makes a faint crackling sound when pressed, an unusual feature among birds. Screamers are often seen in pairs or loose groups and can soar surprisingly well on broad wings.

Human Interaction & Conservation

Screamers are conspicuous, characterful wetland birds and a familiar sight in South American marshes; the southern screamer is common and adapts to grazed and farmed wetlands, and is sometimes even kept around farms as a noisy “guard” bird. They depend on healthy wetlands, so drainage and habitat loss are the main concerns; most species remain reasonably widespread. Consult authoritative sources for current status.

More photos of the screamer