#cariamidae

[herpsandbirds]

Red-legged Seriema (Cariama cristata), family Cariamidae, order Cariamiformes, Brazil

photograph by Mauricio Silvera

[have-you-seen-this-animal]

red-legged seriema!!!

Have you seen the red-legged seriema (Cariama cristata)?

I have now

Yes, in photos/videos

Yes, irl

I'm not sure

Voting ended onJul 27, 2025

Seriemas are the closest living relatives of terror birds!

[saritawolf]

Red-legged Seriema (Cariama cristata) - (c) SaritaWolf - please do not repost

[jojos-birdwatching-adventure]

Santana as a Serima?

(they look like mini dinos and they kill their prey VIOLENTLY)

had to use a picture of him sitting weird lol

[best-bird-tournament]

Cariamiformes order / Seriema (Cariamidae) family

Which is the best bird?

Red-legged seriema

Black-legged seriema

Voting ended onFeb 4

This order and family contain just two extant species in two genera (Cariama and Chunga).

[okapiaconcolor]

Seriema - Cariama cristata por silene andrade

[haveyouseenthisbirdpoll]

Have you seen a Red-legged seriema (Cariama cristata)?

Yes, in nature

Yes, in captivity

No, only in pictures/taxidermy/I've only heard of it

No, and I have never heard of this bird

No, but I have heard one

I might have/I'm not sure

Voting ended onMay 26, 2024

photo source

[animalworld]

RED LEGGED SERIEMA Cariama cristata ©Laura Quick

The Red-legged Seriema is a very distinctive bird. It has a crest that is comprised of tufts of stiff feathers that are permanently raised vertically from the base of the upper bill. It is one of the only birds in South America with such a crest. Males have larger crests, with some feathers reaching up to 10 cm in length. These feathers are gray at the base with black tips. The body feathers are predominantly gray with shades of brown, except on the abdomen, which is white. The plumage is loose around their neck and underparts. The skin surrounding the eye is blue and the iris is yellow. These birds also have unique, eyelash-like feathers around their eyes.

These birds are capable predators and opportunistic feeders with a varied diet, taking a wide range of foods including arthropods, lizards, snakes, small rodents, eggs, corn and other grans, and wild fruit. One of their most fascinating features is their characteristic method of dealing with vertebrate prey. The prey animal is grabbed in the bill, killed by violent shaking and beating on the substrate, and subsequently torn into pieces and consumed. Source