Designed by Paul Smith 2006. This website is copyrighted by law.
Material contained herewith may not be used without the prior written permission of FAUNA Paraguay.
Photographs on this web-site were taken by Paul Smith, Hemme Batjes, Regis Nossent,
Alberto Esquivel, Arne Lesterhuis, José Luis Cartes, Rebecca Zarza and Hugo del Castillo and are used with their permission.
SOUTHERN SCREAMER Chauna torquata
And boy can these things scream! Screamers are unusual birds surprisingly enough related to ducks, that are found in pairs in wetland areas. Though they look clumsy and slightly obese, they are graceful fliers, soaring to great heights on thermals - aided by a unique layer of air between their skin and their muscle which acts like an inner-tube to keep them afloat. Despite being a large bird that would presumably make a good meal, they were never hunted by the Guaraní who believe their flesh tastes of soap. According to their legend the gods turned a pair of cruel washer women into Screamers after they offered the thirsty god of the moon a glass of soapy water to drink.They now lament their fate for all eternity.
FIGURE 1 - Adult, Campo Maria Private Reserve, Cuenca Upper Yacaré Sur (Paul Smith July 2006).
FIGURE 2 - Pair, Fuerte Olimpo (Paul Smith September 2006).
FIGURE 3 - Adult head detail, Zoologico Juan XXIII, Departamento Itapúa (Paul Smith June 2007).
FIGURE 4 - Adult incubating, location unknown (Arne Lesterhuis undated).
FIGURE 5 - Nest with eggs, location unknown (Arne Lesterhuis undated).
FIGURE 6 - Egg detail, location unknown (Arne Lesterhuis undated).
VIDEO - Same individuals as Fig 2 (Paul Smith September 2006).
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Chauna torquata isolated calls recorded Laguna Bombacha, Departamento Presidente Hayes (Paul Smith March 2007).
Click the link to hear the call. Longer versions of this call can be downloaded from the Paraguay page of our partner website Xeno-Canto - the largest collection of freely downloadable Neotropical bird calls available online.