Red-legged Seriema

by Lydia Holly

Title

Red-legged Seriema

Artist

Lydia Holly

Medium

Photograph - Photography

Description

The Red-legged Seriema is found in South America in central and eastern Brazil through eastern Bolivia and Paraguay, to Uruguay and central Argentina. It can be found in lightly wooded areas, and also open savanna type areas. The main concentration of Red-legged Seriemas is in the grassy savanna-like habitat of central Brazil. Further south, seriemas are found in more wooded areas, as well as grasslands. They can be found at elevations of 2000 m. Seriemas have recently colonized man-made grassy areas, and other semi-open areas of Brazil which were formerly covered by tropical forests.

Although seriemas are omnivores, they are highly carnivorous. Their diet includes insects, especially grasshoppers and beetles. They also eat a large number of small rodents, lizards, frogs, and birds. Their reputation of consuming large numbers of snakes is exaggerated. Leaf material is consumed, as in seeds, fruits, and crops cultivated by man such as corn, beans, and grains. They swallow small prey items whole, head first. Larger animals are held between their sharp claws and torn apart. Killing their prey may involve beating the animal on the ground, or throwing it against a hard surface such as a rock.

As you can see in the photograph they have beautiful blue eyes, and are among the few birds that have eyelashes.

Source: Smithsonian Zoological Park Website

Uploaded

April 29th, 2015

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