Southern screamer
Chauna torquata
Southern screamers may look awkward but they are very good swimmers and fliers. They have strong powerful wings. Each wing has a small spur on it which the bird can use to protect itself and flightless young from predators. Luckily despite their size, they are rarely hunted for meat as their spongy flesh is not very tasty. This bird measures up to 94 centimetres and weighs up to 4.5 kilograms.
Instead, they act as a guard and their screams can be heard more than three kilometres away if they are approached by hunters. They have very large feet with long toes that stop them sinking in marshy ground.
IUCN red list status
The IUCN status of the southern screamer is least concern.
For more information on classifications visit www.iucnredlist.org.
Animal class
Bird
Conservation status
The IUCN does not believe the southern screamer is at risk of extinction in the wild.
Habitat
Wetlands/marsh
Population
There have been no studies to show how many southern screamers are left in the wild, but the species is not rare and the population is believed to be stable.
Diet
Herbivore/Insectivore. Screamers eat aquatic plants and small invertebrates.