# Red-legged Seriema (*Cariama cristata*) The Red-legged Seriema is a tall bird with long legs and a beautiful red color on its legs. It loves to run and can be found in open grasslands, making it a fun bird to watch! - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 2/5 · Low - **Habitat:** Grasslands ![Red-legged Seriema](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Red-legged_seriema_%28Cariama_cristata%29_head.JPG&width=800) Photo: Charles J. Sharp, CC BY-SA 4.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Red-legged_seriema_%28Cariama_cristata%29_head.JPG) ## Appearance The Red-legged Seriema is a tall, slender bird with mostly greyish-brown plumage and long, striking red legs. It has a distinctive short crest of stiff feathers on its head and bright red skin around its eyes and bill, setting it apart from other ground birds. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Cariamiformes - **Family:** Cariamidae - **Genus:** Cariama ## Interesting facts - Seriemas can eat venomous snakes without getting harmed. - Their loud call can be heard over 3 kilometers away! - They build nests in low trees or shrubs, not on the ground. - They often prefer to run away from danger rather than fly. ## Special abilities - **Snake Slayer Stomp:** Red-legged Seriemas can kill snakes by repeatedly slamming them against the ground, helping them subdue dangerous prey. - **Sprint Star:** Red-legged Seriemas can run at speeds up to 70 km/h, which helps them escape predators and chase down fast prey. - **Loud Lookout:** Red-legged Seriemas have an incredibly loud, territorial call that alerts others to potential threats or presence. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 70-90 cm - **Wingspan:** 120-135 cm - **Weight:** 1.2-1.5 kg - **Lifespan:** 10-15 years - **Speed:** 70 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 1-3 - **Incubation:** 24-30 days ## Diet & Feeding This bird is an omnivore, eating many small animals, insects, seeds, and even fruits! - **Age differences:** Young seriemas primarily consume insects and small invertebrates, gradually expanding their diet. - **Primary Foods:** insects, lizards, snakes, rodents, seeds, fruits - **Foraging Method:** Pursuit ## Ecological connections - **Hunts:** South American Rattlesnake (*Crotalus durissus*) — A key predator of this venomous snake. - **Hunts:** [House mouse](https://www.snappit.app/explore/house-mouse) (*Mus musculus*) — They actively chase and prey upon small rodents. - **Eaten by:** Puma (*Puma concolor*) — Large wild cats may occasionally prey on adult seriemas. - **Eaten by:** Crab-eating Fox (*Cerdocyon thous*) — Foxes can prey on seriema eggs and young chicks. ## Traits - [Feathered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/feathered): Feathered describes animals, primarily birds, possessing a covering of feathers. - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Grassland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grassland): Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals. - [Insectivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/insectivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet primarily consists of insects and other small invertebrates. - [Carnivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/carnivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of animal tissue. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [Speedster](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/speedster): This trait identifies organisms that exhibit exceptional swiftness in movement for hunting, escape, or travel. ## Collections - [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/birds) ## Safety **Danger:** 2/5 · Low Always watch birds from a distance and don't try to touch them. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Red-legged Seriema? Compare the silhouette, bill shape, tail length, wing bars and markings around the eyes. The same small brown bird at your feeder can look quite different in breeding plumage, winter plumage or its first year. Bird Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Red-legged Seriema? 70-90 cm ### What is Red-legged Seriema's wingspan? 120-135 cm ### How much does Red-legged Seriema weigh? 1.2-1.5 kg ### How long does Red-legged Seriema live? 10-15 years ### How fast can Red-legged Seriema move? 70 km/h ### What does Red-legged Seriema eat? This bird is an omnivore, eating many small animals, insects, seeds, and even fruits! ### Where is Red-legged Seriema usually found? Grasslands ## Where to spot - [Serra de Caldas Novas State Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/serra-de-caldas-novas-state-park) — BR · Park - [Catimbau National Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/catimbau-national-park) — BR · Park ## More Birds - [Black-crowned Night Heron](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-crowned-night-heron) (*Nycticorax nycticorax*) - [Anna's Hummingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/annas-hummingbird) (*Calypte anna*) - [Great Egret](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-egret) (*Ardea alba*) - [Blue Jay](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blue-jay) (*Cyanocitta cristata*) --- Source: [Red-legged Seriema: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/red-legged-seriema)