Black-legged Seriema vs Red-legged Seriema

Black-legged Seriema

Chunga burmeisteri

Large1.3 kgWoodland

The black-legged seriema is a large bird, measuring some 70–85 cm (28–33 in) in length, and weighing roughly 1.2 kg (2.6 lb). This makes it one of the largest ground-dwelling birds in the Neotropics; only the red-legged seriema and the rheas are larger. It is long-necked and long-tailed, with very long, slender legs and short, rounded wings. Overall, it is ash-grey in colour, though closer examination shows that the "grey" body feathers are actually finely vermiculated with black and white. It has an inconspicuous frontal crest, composed of erect, hairlike bristles. Voice: Its call notes are a series of yelps and barks, said to sound like a turkey, a kookaburra or a small dog. Pairs call in tandem, with the duet said to be loud, slow and evenly-pitched, but somewhat harsh and unmusical.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Hugo Hulsberg · CC0

Red-legged Seriema

Cariama cristata

Large1.4 kgShrubland

The red-legged seriema is around 75 to 90 centimetres (30 to 35 in) long and weighs about 1.5 to 2.2 kilograms (3.3 to 4.9 lb), with long legs, necks, and tails. The males are slightly larger than females. It has a greyish-brown plumage, finely barred and vermiculated with dark brown and black; pale brown on the head, neck, and breast; white on belly. The long, broad outer tail has a subterminal black band and a white tip. It has a reddish beak and very long, salmon-coloured legs. The eyes are yellow. Soft feathers emerge from the base of the bill to form a distinctive fan-shaped crest. Voice: Full vocalization by the seriema is mainly done at dawn and to a lesser extent, at dusk. It can also occur irregularly at other times of day. The song has a quality described as "a cross between 'the serrated bark of a young dog and the clucking of turkeys'". At the loudest part of the song, the bird has its neck bent so its head is touching its back.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Wagner Machado Carlos Lemes from Goiânia, Brazil · CC BY 2.0

Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Black-legged Seriema and Red-legged Seriema.