Everything about Screamer totally explained
The
Screamers are a small family of
birds, the Anhimidae. For a long time they were thought to be related to the
Galliformes, but they're truly related to
ducks (family Anatidae), most closely to the
Magpie-goose (which some
DNA evidence suggests are closer to screamers than to ducks), but have
bills that more closely resemble those of game birds.
The three species occur only in
South America, ranging from
Venezuela to northern
Argentina. They are large, bulky birds, with a small downy head, long legs and large feet which are only partially webbed. They have large spurs on their wings which are used in fights over mates and territorial disputes, these can break off in the breast of other screamers, and are regularly renewed. Unlike ducks they've a partial
moult, and are able to fly throughout the year. They live in open areas and marshes with some grass and feed on water plants. One species, the
Southern Screamer, is considered a
pest as it raids crops and competes with farm birds.
Screamers lay between 2 to 7 white eggs, with four or five being typical. The young, like those of most Anseriformes, can run as soon as they're hatched. The chicks are usually raised in or near water as they can swim better than they can run. This helps them to avoid predators. Like ducks, screamer chicks
imprint early in life. This, coupled with their unfussy diet makes them amenable to domestication. They make excellent watchdogs due to their loud screams when encountering anything new and potentially threatening.
It is uncertain whether the three screamer species are
endangered or declining. They are seldom
hunted, in spite of their conspicuous nature, because their flesh has a spongy texture and is riddled with air-sacs, making it highly unpalatable. The main threats are habitat destruction and increased intensification of agriculture, but the extent of this is unknown.
Species
Further Information
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