Photo: Vincent Vos Bolivia / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Horned Screamer
Anhima cornuta
Horned Screamer (Anhima cornuta) — Ducks, Geese & Swans of South America.
Found across 5 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
See what's near you right nowThe Horned Screamer (Anhima cornuta) is a member of the Anhimidae family found in South America. Adults weigh 3.1 kg. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Anseriformes
- Family Anhimidae Screamers
- Genus Anhima
- Species cornuta
Quick facts
- Weight
- 3.1 kg
- Diet
- Aquatic plant-eaters
- Family
- Anhimidae
- Order
- Anseriformes
- Habitat
- Wetland, lake & coast
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Horned Screamer feeds mainly on aquatic plants and algae.
Behaviour
A bird of wetlands, it forages mainly on the ground.
Migration
The Horned Screamer is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Horned Screamer (Anhima cornuta) is a species of bird in the Anhimidae family, part of the order Anseriformes. Its range spans South America. Its distribution covers SA Colombia and Venezuela through Amazonia to Bolivia.
It is a very large bird. Adults weighs around 3.1 kg, with a wing length of about 55.3 cm and a tail of around 25.3 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 11 million km² — a very large global range.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Horned Screamer?
The Horned Screamer is a very large bird that weighs around 3.1 kg.
Where does the Horned Screamer live?
The Horned Screamer is found across South America with a range covering SA Colombia and Venezuela through Amazonia to Bolivia, where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.
What family does the Horned Screamer belong to?
The Horned Screamer (Anhima cornuta) belongs to the Anhimidae family, in the order Anseriformes.
What does the Horned Screamer eat?
The Horned Screamer feeds mainly on aquatic plants and algae.
Does the Horned Screamer migrate?
The Horned Screamer is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Horned Screamer endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Horned Screamer make?
4 real field recordings of the Horned Screamer — including its song and call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, each credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Horned Screamer's range?
The Horned Screamer has a mapped global range of about 11 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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