Scientific name:
Anhirnidae

Natural spread:
South America

the 3 South American defense-birds is relative with the duck-birds nearer, rather sees a turkey similarly, however. The two mop of hair-defense-birds become so, that Tschaja (Chauna torquata, 90 cm of length) and the white-cheek-bird (Chauna chavaria, 75 cm), also as swamp - as well as. Water-turkey marked. The horn-defense-bird or Anhima (Anhima cornuta, 85-95 cm of length) deviate in numerous morphological characteristics of the mop of hair-defense-birds; both sexes carry a "horn", that was created from a reorganized feather at the forehead and can become up to 15 cm long.

Shape The type of the defense-bird is characterized like by 2 sharp spores by the rather long legs and toes at the means-hand-bones of the wings as well. The wing-spores serve as effective defense-weapon opposite ground-enemies. The sexes don't differ externally.

The entire skeleton of the defense-birds of airbags is more strongly than in each other bird-group pushes through, that themselves the spinal column and the hand - as well as. Toe-bones reach.

Way of life Outside the incubation, the defense-birds live in moist areas of the tropical zone in smaller troops. Although they lack swimming-skins, they are very skillful swimmers. Leisurely they stride on the food-search at the shores or in the flat-water around and don't sink in also on the leaves of the swimming-plants, since its weight distributes very well over the big toes. Frequently, they circle in big height in the glide in the air; with disturbances baumen it gladly on. Goose-good reputations are on that occasion to be heard above all about the mop of hair-defense-birds, who carry over wide distances, regularly. The food sits down, as far as together known, exclusively out of vegetable materials (grass and seeds). Therefore, the defense-birds also advance gladly into the agriculturally used areas.

Brood The big nests are mainly built and direct from reed to like about the ground. With the mop of hair-defense-birds, the nest with 5-6 eggs is much bigger than with the horn-defense-bird (2 eggs), however both spouses share the brood-business regularly. The young Nestflüchter leave the nest very fast and are led by both parents.