Horned Screamer

Least Concern

Anhima cornuta

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About

The Horned Screamer is a large, goose-like bird native to South America, characterized by a distinctive, slender, horn-like projection on its head. It is known for its loud vocalizations and its preference for wetlands and marshy areas.

Size & lifespan

Length: 83-95 cm (33-37 in)
Wingspan: 170-180 cm (67-71 in)
Weight: 2.0-3.1 kg (4.4-6.8 lbs)
Lifespan: Up to 15 years in the wild, potentially longer in captivity.
Diet: Herbivore

Physical characteristics

Plumage: Predominantly dark grey to blackish plumage on the upperparts, with a white belly and underwing coverts. The neck is black with a white collar. The head is small relative to the body, featuring a unique, unfeathered, chitinous horn that can grow up to 15 cm (6 in) long, curving forward. Two sharp, bony spurs are present on the bend of each wing.
Beak shape: Small, chicken-like bill, greyish in color.
Eye color: Reddish-brown.
Leg color: Strong, pinkish-red legs and large, partially webbed feet.
Distinguishing features: The most distinctive feature is the long, slender, horn-like projection on its forehead. The large size, dark body, white belly, and prominent wing spurs are also key identifiers. Its loud, far-carrying calls are also highly characteristic.
Juvenile appearance: Juveniles resemble adults but have duller plumage, often with some brownish mottling, and a shorter, less developed horn. The wing spurs are also less prominent.
Seasonal changes: No significant seasonal plumage changes are observed.
Sexual dimorphism: Males and females are monomorphic in plumage and size, making them difficult to distinguish visually in the field without behavioral cues.

How to identify

1
Head Horn
Look for the unmistakable, slender, forward-curving horn on the forehead. This is the most definitive field mark.
2
Plumage Pattern
Observe the dark grey to blackish upperparts contrasting sharply with the white belly and underwing coverts. Note the black neck with a distinct white collar.
3
Size and Shape
Identify its large, goose-like body, relatively small head, and long, strong pinkish-red legs.
4
Wing Spurs
If visible, note the two sharp, bony spurs on the bend of each wing, used for defense.
5
Vocalizations
Listen for its loud, trumpet-like 'screams' or 'yells,' often given in duets, which carry over long distances.
6
Habitat
Look for it in open, shallow freshwater wetlands, marshes, and lagoons.

Habitat & range

Biomes: Wetlands, marshes, swamps, lagoons, and slow-moving rivers.
Geographic range: South America, specifically from Colombia and Venezuela south through Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, and Brazil, to Paraguay, Uruguay, and northern Argentina.
Elevation range: Typically found in lowlands, from sea level up to approximately 1,000 meters (3,300 feet).
Preferred environments: Prefers shallow, freshwater wetlands with abundant emergent vegetation for cover and foraging, often near open water.

Behavior

Activity time: Diurnal, most active during daylight hours.
Feeding habits: Primarily herbivorous, feeding on aquatic vegetation, leaves, stems, seeds, and flowers of various plants. They forage by grazing on land or dabbling in shallow water.
Social behavior: Typically found in pairs or small family groups, though they can gather in larger flocks (up to several hundred individuals) outside the breeding season, especially at communal roosts.
Flight pattern: Despite their large size, they are strong fliers, often soaring to great heights on broad wings. They can be seen circling high above their habitat. Flight is characterized by slow, deliberate wing beats.
Migration pattern: Generally resident throughout its range, though local movements may occur in response to water levels or food availability.
Territoriality: Pairs are territorial during the breeding season, defending their nesting area with loud calls and aggressive displays, including using their wing spurs.

Song & calls

Song: The 'song' is a loud, far-carrying, trumpet-like call, often described as a 'yell' or 'scream,' typically given in a duet by a pair. It consists of a series of resonant, rising and falling notes, 'hoo-hoo-hooo-hooo-hoooo'.
Call: Various alarm calls, contact calls, and territorial calls, all characterized by their loud, resonant, and often piercing quality. They can be heard from a considerable distance.
When they vocalize: Most vocal at dawn and dusk, and throughout the day, especially when disturbed or during territorial disputes.

Breeding & reproduction

Breeding season: Varies geographically, generally coinciding with the rainy season or periods of high water levels. For example, in Colombia, it's typically March-May; in Brazil, August-December.
Nesting habits: Nests are large, bulky platforms made of reeds, grasses, and other aquatic vegetation, built on floating mats or in shallow water, often well-concealed within dense emergent vegetation.
Clutch size: Typically 2-7 eggs, most commonly 4-5.
Egg description: Eggs are dull white to pale buff, sometimes with a greenish tinge, and unspotted. They are relatively large.
Incubation period: Approximately 40-44 days.
Fledging period: Chicks are precocial and able to leave the nest shortly after hatching, following their parents. They become fully independent after several weeks to a few months.
Parental care: Both parents participate in incubation and care for the precocial young, leading them to foraging areas and protecting them from predators.

Where to find

Wetlands and Marshes

Focus on areas with extensive emergent vegetation, such as cattails, reeds, and sedges, often near open water.

Riverine Habitats

Check along the edges of slow-moving rivers and oxbow lakes.

Protected Areas

Many national parks and wildlife reserves in its range protect suitable wetland habitats where they can be found.

Field tips

Listen for Calls. Their loud and distinctive calls are often heard before the bird is seen, especially at dawn and dusk. Use these calls to locate them.
Scan Open Water and Edges. They often forage in shallow water or graze on vegetation at the water's edge. Use binoculars to scan these areas.
Look for Soaring Birds. Horned Screamers frequently soar high in the sky, sometimes in circles, making them visible from a distance.
Be Patient and Observe. They can be wary, so approach quietly and observe their behavior from a distance to avoid flushing them.

Similar species

Southern Screamer

Chauna torquata

The Southern Screamer lacks the prominent horn on its head. It has a grey head with a black collar and a reddish patch on the nape, and a more extensive white area on the face and neck. Its calls are also distinct, though similarly loud.

Northern Screamer

Chauna chavaria

The Northern Screamer (also known as Black-necked Screamer) also lacks the horn. It has a black neck and head with a white patch on the cheeks. Its range is more restricted to northern South America.

Quick facts

Unique Feature:: Chitinous horn on the head
Defense Mechanism:: Two sharp wing spurs
Vocalization:: Loud, trumpet-like 'scream'
Diet Type:: Strictly herbivorous
Social Structure:: Monogamous pairs, sometimes large flocks

Fun facts

Despite their goose-like appearance, screamers are more closely related to ducks and geese (Anseriformes) than to cranes or other large wading birds.
The 'horn' on its head is not bone but a cartilaginous structure that continues to grow throughout the bird's life and can sometimes break off, only to regrow.
The wing spurs are formidable weapons, used in territorial disputes and defense against predators.
Their bones are honeycombed, making them very light, which aids in their ability to soar.
They have air sacs under their skin, which may help them float and also contribute to their loud vocalizations.

Scientific classification

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Anseriformes
Family: Anhimidae
Genus: Anhima
Species: Anhima cornuta

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