The Red-legged Seriema (Cariama cristata) have a very distinctive call that can be heard over a mile away; they are also one of the few birds who have eyelashes! Like the black-legged seriema, farmers often use them as guard animals to protect poultry from predators and sometimes human intruders.
Habitat: The Red-legged Seriema are found in Brazil, Uruguay and Artgentina.
Population: The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) evaluate the Red-legged Seriema as ‘Least Concern’.
Lifespan: The average lifespan in captivity is 20 to 25 years.
Diet: They are omnivorous and will eat a range of insects, lizards, frogs, snakes and small rodents.
Behaviour: Although these birds can fly short distances, they prefer to run away from predators and can run up to 15mph. They have a unique way of killing their prey; they pick it up in their beak and throw it forcefully onto the ground until it is stunned or dead.
