Chauna

Chauna
Southern screamer (Chauna torquata)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Anseriformes
Family:	Anhimidae
Genus:	Chauna Illiger, 1811
Type species
Parra chavaria Linnaeus, 1766
Species
Chauna chavaria Chauna torquata

Chauna is a genus of birds in the screamer family. Its two members are found in wetlands of South America.

Description

They are large, bulky birds, with a small downy head, long legs and large feet which are only partially webbed. They have large spurs on their wings which are used in fights over mates and territorial disputes.

Conservation

The southern screamer is overall fairly common and sometimes considered a pest as it raids crops and competes with farm birds for food. In contrast, the northern screamer is relatively rare and therefore considered near threatened.

Species

Genus Chauna – Illiger, 1811 – two species

Common name	Scientific name and subspecies	Range	Size and ecology	IUCN status and estimated population
Southern screamer or crested screamer	Chauna torquata (Oken, 1816)	southeastern Peru, northern Bolivia, Paraguay, southern Brazil, Uruguay and northern Argentina	Size: Habitat: Diet:	LC
Northern screamer or black-necked screamer	Chauna chavaria (Linnaeus, 1766)	northern Colombia, in Chocó, Antioquia, Córdoba, Sucre, Bolívar, Magdalena, Santander, and Cesar Departments and northwestern Venezuela, in Zulia, Mérida, and Trujillo States.	Size: Habitat: Diet:	NT

Further reading

• Hilty, Steven L (2003). Birds of Venezuela. London: Christopher Helm. ISBN 0-7136-6418-5.