Photo: Vincent Vos Bolivia / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Southern Screamer
Chauna torquata
Southern Screamer (Chauna torquata) — Ducks, Geese & Swans of South America.
Found across 3 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Southern Screamer (Chauna torquata) is a member of the Anhimidae family found in South America. Adults weigh 4.4 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 Anseriformes
- Family Anhimidae Screamers
- Genus Chauna
- Species torquata
Quick facts
- Weight
- 4.4 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 Southern Screamer feeds mainly on aquatic plants and algae.
Behaviour
A bird of wetlands, it forages mainly on the ground.
Migration
The Southern Screamer is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Southern Screamer (Chauna torquata) is a member of the Anhimidae family, within the order Anseriformes. It is found across South America. Its distribution covers SA se Peru and s Brazil to c Argentina.
It is a very large bird. Adults weighs around 4.4 kg, with a wing length of about 51.7 cm and a tail of around 20.4 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 3.8 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Southern Screamer?
The Southern Screamer is a very large bird that weighs around 4.4 kg.
Where does the Southern Screamer live?
The Southern Screamer is found across South America with a range covering SA se Peru and s Brazil to c Argentina, where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.
What family does the Southern Screamer belong to?
The Southern Screamer (Chauna torquata) belongs to the Anhimidae family, in the order Anseriformes.
What does the Southern Screamer eat?
The Southern Screamer feeds mainly on aquatic plants and algae.
Does the Southern Screamer migrate?
The Southern Screamer is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Southern 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 Southern Screamer make?
4 real field recordings of the Southern Screamer — including its song, call and alarm call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, each credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Southern Screamer's range?
The Southern Screamer has a mapped global range of about 3.8 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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