Photo: Giles Laurent / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Red-legged Seriema
Cariama cristata
Red-legged Seriema (Cariama cristata) — Unusual & Unique Birds of South America.
Found across 2 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Red-legged Seriema (Cariama cristata) is a member of the Cariamidae family found in South America. Adults weigh 1.4 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 Cariamiformes
- Family Cariamidae Seriemas
- Genus Cariama
- Species cristata
Where it lives
Eastern Bolivia to eastern Brazil south to northern Argentina and Uruguay
Quick facts
- Weight
- 1.4 kg
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Cariamidae
- Order
- Cariamiformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Red-legged Seriema is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of semi-open scrub and shrubland, it forages mainly on the ground.
Migration
The Red-legged Seriema is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Red-legged Seriema (Cariama cristata) belongs to the Cariamidae family of the order Cariamiformes. It is found across South America. Its distribution covers SA e Bolivia to e Brazil s to n Argentina and Uruguay.
It is a very large bird. Adults weighs around 1.4 kg, with a wing length of about 35.7 cm and a tail of around 29.6 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 5.9 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Red-legged Seriema?
The Red-legged Seriema is a very large bird that weighs around 1.4 kg.
Where does the Red-legged Seriema live?
The Red-legged Seriema is found across South America with a range covering SA e Bolivia to e Brazil s to n Argentina and Uruguay, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Red-legged Seriema belong to?
The Red-legged Seriema (Cariama cristata) belongs to the Cariamidae family, in the order Cariamiformes.
What does the Red-legged Seriema eat?
The Red-legged Seriema is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Red-legged Seriema migrate?
The Red-legged Seriema is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Red-legged Seriema 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 Red-legged Seriema make?
1 real field recording of the Red-legged Seriema — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Red-legged Seriema's range?
The Red-legged Seriema has a mapped global range of about 5.9 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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