Scientific name:
Cariamidae

Natural spread:
South America

two manners very more peculiarly, big South American ground-birds constructs an independent family of the crane-birds, who are supplied by some authors, however, into a separate order of the birds. Extinct giant-forms from south and North America's tertiary settlements as well as from Europe probably were the next relatives of the Seriëmas. This partial over 2 m big animals lived predatorily very likely. With its huge beaks, these unairworthy "giant-cranes" could manage also bigger loot-animals easily.

Seriëma The 80-90 cm big (vertex-height) and approximately 1 m long Seriëma (Cariama cristata) lives into the tree - and bush-existed levels from Bolivia and South-Brazil as far as to Argentina and Uruguay. Showy characteristics this mainly dun befiederten bird is its long, orange-red legs and the as well colored one, powerful beak with its hakig downward bent top. At the upper beak-root stands long, diagonally upward in the front bent, bristle-good feathers. Behind this bonnet, a light-blue, bare skin-part, that wanders about far about the yellow eye, begins on each head-side. The long tail carries a wide white bond in the end.

Way of life Seriëmas hunt after bigger insects, reptiles ("Schlangenstörche") and other small vertebrates, usually in pairs on the ground, however, also fruits pick up to the restricted extent. After conclusion of the incubation, the 2-3 boys often stay together even longer in the family-association with the alto-birds. With its relatively short, rounded off wings, Seriëmas are not able to fly especially well; they bring themselves as excellent runners to safety rather on foot. To sleeping and brooding however, these big birds go for trees. If they are disturbed there, so they glide on the ground down and run fast from it.

Reproduction its nests erect Seriëmas some meters over the ground on trees and bushes by stacking branches in branch-forks and the Nistmulde with earth lining. The same Niststandort frequently is used consecutively several years. Both alto-birds incubate approximately for 24 days alternate the two eggs (6,3x4,8 cm); then, the bedunten and sehfähigen of giving birth slip. Both parents provide it with food, until that climbs befiederten squabs dun-yellow on the ground after good 2 weeks. Only as an exception, Seriëmas position also ground-nests. To the winter, the birds of prolonged hikes undertake in areas with warmer climate. If Seriëmas occupy (often also in higher mountain-situations of the Andes-foothills) its brood-areas again in the spring, the characteristic reputations of the performing courtship display males resound particularly in the Dämmerstunden far-to. The male bird presents at meetings with its brood-partner Balztänze with what it spreads the wings far and auffächert the long tail.

Tschunja The Chunja or Tschunja (Chunga burmeisteri) remain somewhat smaller than the Seriëma with 75-80 cm of length and barely 60 cm of vertex-height from Paraguay's dry bush-savannas and Nordargentiniens. its plumage is (with exception of the white stomach-side) the Seriëmas somewhat darker than this, also the big bonnet-feathers are missing at the front-head. The bare eye-surroundings takes off whitish, legs and beak are black with the Chunjas. In its habits, they resemble the Seriëmas largely, only Chunjas live probably even less sociably.