Birds
Seriema
Cariamidae · also called red-legged seriema, crested seriema, black-legged seriema
A seriema runs down a snake across open grassland, long legs carrying it at speed, then finishes the job with brute repetition, seizing the snake in its bill and slamming it against the ground again and again until the danger is gone. It is a startlingly effective technique, and one that hints at the bird’s real pedigree: seriemas are the closest living relatives of the extinct terror birds that once ruled South America.
Overview
The seriema, family Cariamidae, is a long-legged, long-necked ground bird native to the open grassland and savanna of central and southern South America. It hunts snakes, lizards, large insects, and small mammals on foot, flying only rarely and briefly.
A living echo of the terror birds
Seriemas are considered the nearest living relatives of the phorusrhacids, the giant flightless predatory birds that dominated much of prehistoric South America. Their ground-hunting lifestyle and prey-smashing technique offer a rare living glimpse into how those extinct giants may have hunted.
Status
Least Concern — widespread and stable across South America’s grassland habitats, with ongoing agricultural conversion of native grassland the main long-term concern.
Seriema: common questions
How does a seriema kill a snake without getting bitten?
A seriema typically seizes a snake behind the head or along the body with its bill and then repeatedly slams the snake against the ground or a rock, using the force of the impact to kill or disable the animal before attempting to swallow it, a technique that reduces the risk of a venomous bite compared with a more prolonged struggle.
Is a seriema more closely related to a crane or to a terror bird?
Seriemas are considered the closest living relatives of the extinct terror birds, or phorusrhacids, a group of large flightless predatory birds that once roamed much of South America, making the seriema a genuine surviving link to that prehistoric lineage rather than a close relative of cranes, despite some superficial similarity in body shape.
Can a seriema actually fly?
Yes, a seriema is fully capable of flight, but it strongly prefers to walk or run across open grassland using its long legs, generally reserving flight for short trips such as reaching a low roosting or nesting site in a tree or shrub rather than for regular long-distance travel.
Where do seriemas live in the wild?
Seriemas are native to open grassland, savanna, and scrubland habitats across central and southern South America, including the Cerrado of Brazil, the Gran Chaco, and the Pampas of Argentina and Uruguay, environments that suit their running, ground-hunting lifestyle.