horned screamer

bird

Also known as: Anhima cornuta

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Last updated

June 29, 2026

Quick Summary

The horned screamer (Anhima cornuta) is a species of waterfowl native to northern South America, belonging to the family Anhimidae. These birds are known for their loud, far-carrying cries, which give them their name. They inhabit marshes, feed on water plants, and build reed nests.

Physically, screamers are large birds with plump bodies, ringed necks, and chicken-like bills, resembling long-legged pheasants but are related to geese. A distinctive feature of the horned screamer is a slender, forward-curving spike on its forehead, resembling a horn. They possess unique anatomical traits, including hollow bones and air sacs in their skin that produce crackling sounds. Additionally, they have bony spikes on their wings used for defense.12

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screamer
The horned screamer (Anhima cornuta), of northern South America, has a slender, forward-curving, calcified spike on its forehead. The crested screamer, or chaja (a name that comes from its cry; Chauna torquata), of open country in east-central South America, and the black-necked screamer (C. chavaria), of…
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The horned screamer (Anhima cornuta), of northern South America, has a slender, forward-curving, calcified spike on its forehead. The crested screamer, or chaja (a name that comes from its cry; Chauna torquata), of open country in east-central South America, and the black-necked screamer (C. chavaria), of…
Read More