Horned ScreamerAnhima cornutaMissä ja milloin niitä voi nähdä

The Horned Screamer is a large South American wetland bird found across much of the Amazon basin and other tropical lowlands. Despite its somewhat chicken-like appearance, it belongs to the waterfowl order and is related to ducks and geese. Its name refers to both the slender projection on its forehead and its powerful, far-carrying calls. Along Amazon waterways, it is most closely associated with vegetated wetlands rather than fast-flowing open channels.

Size

84–95 cm in length

Weight

2–3 kg

Lifespan

Lifespan in the wild is poorly documented.

Status

Least Concern (IUCN)

Horned Screamers are usually seen in pairs or small groups, with larger gatherings sometimes forming at feeding sites. Pairs maintain strong bonds and may defend breeding territories. Their loud calls help birds keep contact and advertise their presence, and paired birds often call together. They spend much of their feeding time walking through shallow water or across wet ground. Despite their heavy appearance, they fly well and may perch high in trees overlooking wetlands. Both parents incubate the eggs in a nest made from plant material, usually among wetland vegetation. The downy chicks leave the nest soon after hatching and accompany their parents while learning to forage.

• The forehead horn is a slender, keratinized structure, not an antler.
• Each wing bears two sharp spurs used in defence and disputes.
• Horned Screamers can perch in trees despite their large size.
• It is the only living species in the genus Anhima.

Wildlife opportunities depend on the river reach, water levels and species. River-specific viewing months have not been confirmed; general species seasons are not a local sighting forecast.

This species inhabits freshwater marshes, flooded grasslands, swamps, and the vegetated margins of lakes and rivers. In the Amazon basin, suitable sites include floodplain lakes, backwaters, and open wetlands beside forest. It favours areas with abundant aquatic plants and access to shallow water or exposed feeding ground. Seasonal flooding changes the availability of these habitats and can shift where birds feed and gather.

Horned Screamers are primarily herbivorous, feeding on leaves, stems, and other parts of aquatic and waterside plants. They graze or pick vegetation while walking in marshes and shallow water. Young birds also eat small invertebrates.

Common name

Horned Screamer

Scientific name

Anhima cornuta

Animal group

Birds

Size

84–95 cm in length

Weight

2–3 kg

Lifespan

Lifespan in the wild is poorly documented.

Status

Least Concern (IUCN)

Identification

Look for a very large, dark waterbird with a relatively small head, a short bill, long legs, and a conspicuous white belly. The head and neck show fine pale speckling, while a slender, forward-curving horn projects from the forehead and is best seen at close range through optics. The wings carry sharp spurs, although these are not always visible on a resting bird. Its loud, resonant calls are often the first clue to its presence.