Black-legged seriema facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Black-legged seriema |
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Chunga
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burmeisteri
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The black-legged seriema (Chunga burmeisteri) is a unique bird found in parts of South America. It lives in southeastern Bolivia, northern Paraguay, and north-central Argentina. This bird is quite large, mostly grey, with a long neck, a long tail, and long, thin black legs. Its belly and upper legs are a yellowish-white color.
Both male and female black-legged seriemas look similar. Young birds also look much like the adults, but they have more patterns on their heads, necks, and backs. This bird was first described by a scientist named Gustav Hartlaub in 1860. It is the only species in its group, meaning there are no different types or subspecies.
Like its relative, the red-legged seriema, this bird eats both plants and animals. It usually runs to catch its food and escape danger, as it rarely flies. Its loud calls sound like kookaburras, turkeys, or even yelping dogs. These calls are often made by two birds together. Scientists don't know much about how they raise their young. They build a nest of sticks and lay two white eggs, sometimes with a few spots. The International Union for Conservation of Nature says this bird is of "least concern" for extinction. This is because it lives in a large area and its numbers seem to be steady.
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About the Black-legged Seriema
How it Got its Name
A German bird expert named Gustav Hartlaub first described the black-legged seriema in 1860. He used information from Hermann Burmeister, another German zoologist working in South America. Hartlaub named it Dicholophus burmeisteri.
Later, scientists decided it should have its own group, or genus, called Chunga. The name Chunga comes from what local people in Argentina called the bird. The species name burmeisteri honors Hermann Burmeister, who helped discover it. The word "seriema" comes from a Tupi word, siriema, which means "crested."
The black-legged seriema and its close relative, the red-legged seriema, are the only two living members of their bird family, Cariamidae.
What it Looks Like
The black-legged seriema is a big bird, about 70 to 85 centimeters (27 to 33 inches) long. It weighs around 1.2 kilograms (2.6 pounds). This makes it one of the largest ground-dwelling birds in its region. Only the red-legged seriema and the rheas are bigger.
It has a long neck, a long tail, and very long, thin legs. Its wings are short and rounded. The bird is mostly ash-grey, but if you look closely, its feathers have tiny black and white patterns. It has a small crest of hair-like feathers on its forehead. Its eyebrows and the area around its eyes are whitish. The feathers on its head and neck have black and white stripes.
Its belly is lighter grey, and its lower belly and upper legs are yellowish-white. The feathers on its wings have thick black and white stripes. Its grey tail also has stripes and a thin black tip. Its feathers are soft and loose. The feathers on its neck are long, forming a small crest.
Its strong black bill curves downwards with a small hook at the end. Its eyes are reddish-brown, and its legs are dark grey to black. Its feet have three short front toes with very sharp claws and one small toe at the back. Males and females look alike. Young birds are similar but have more patterns on their heads, necks, and chests. Their backs and wing feathers are speckled with white.
Bird Calls
The black-legged seriema makes calls that sound like yelps and barks. People say it sounds like a turkey, a kookabura, or a small dog. Pairs of birds often call together. Their duet is loud, slow, and steady, but can sound a bit harsh.
Similar Birds
The only bird that looks similar to the black-legged seriema is the red-legged seriema. The black-legged seriema is smaller and doesn't have the big crest that its red-legged cousin has. It has a black bill and dark legs, instead of red ones. Its eyes are dark, not pale. Even though they live in some of the same areas, they usually prefer different types of places.
Where it Lives and Its Home
The black-legged seriema lives in southeastern Bolivia, northern Paraguay, and north-central Argentina. It prefers dry areas like savannas, shrublands, and dry, open forests. This includes areas like the Dry Chaco and the Monte Desert.
Interestingly, this bird wasn't known to live in Bolivia until the late 1970s. It usually lives in places lower than 800 meters (2,600 feet) above sea level. This is lower than where the red-legged seriema is usually found. While it might look for food in open fields, it only does so if there are wooded areas nearby for safety.
How it Behaves
The black-legged seriema spends most of its time on the ground. It only flies if it really has to. It is a very fast runner and usually chases its prey or escapes from predators by running. If it needs to fly, it can do short flights with quick wing flaps followed by a glide. It sometimes flies into trees, but it prefers to jump to lower branches.
This bird usually stays in one area. However, it might move locally. For example, in Paraguay, they are known to leave some areas of the Chaco when the weather gets colder.
What it Eats
Black-legged seriemas are omnivorous, meaning they eat both plants and animals. A lot of their diet includes insects, especially beetles and locusts. They also sometimes eat small rodents. They eat plant material too, like leaves, grass, and seeds. They often hunt near farm animals, as the animals' movements can stir up insects for them to catch.
Raising Young
Scientists don't know a lot about how black-legged seriemas raise their young. They are thought to breed mainly in November and December. Each pair builds a platform nest of sticks in a tree. The female lays two white eggs, which are about 56 to 61 millimeters (2.2 to 2.4 inches) long and 42 to 46 millimeters (1.6 to 1.8 inches) wide. These eggs might have a few brown or light purple spots.
Black-legged Seriemas and People
Local Indigenous peoples in the black-legged seriema's home range have hunted these birds and collected their eggs for food. This has happened for a very long time, even up to recent years. The Toba people of Argentina have also used the bird's droppings to make a special paste to treat skin problems.
Protecting the Species
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) says the black-legged seriema is a species of "least concern." This means it's not currently at risk of extinction. This is because it lives in a very large area and its population seems to be stable.
Even though its exact numbers haven't been counted, it is said to be "fairly common" in Argentina. Its status in Bolivia and Paraguay isn't as well known. The bird could be affected by its habitat being lost or broken up into smaller pieces. One study in Argentina found that the bird disappeared from areas where the forest was broken into plots smaller than 280 hectares (690 acres).
Scientists have also found that these birds can carry certain types of chewing louse.
