Horned Screamer

Across Ecuador, the Horned Screamer persists primarily in lowland freshwater wetlands, especially marshes, lagoons, and riverine floodplains. It is known from coastal and Amazonian regions, with notable concentrations documented in protected wetlands such as Manglares Churute Ecological Reserve, where surveys have recorded dozens of individuals using the lagoon systems year‑round. Although still present, its distribution in Ecuador is patchy and sensitive to habitat degradation; studies in southwestern Ecuador highlight how wetland disturbance and seasonal changes influence local abundance and movement patterns. Within suitable habitat, however, the species can still be locally common, especially in large, undisturbed marsh complexes.

Among the screamers, the Horned Screamer stands out not only for its bizarre head ornament but also for its cultural and ecological quirks. It is the official bird of both the Department and Municipality of Arauca in Colombia and serves as a symbol of Ecuador’s Churute Reserve. Its booming, far‑carrying call—often described as a resonant “u‑who”—can be heard for kilometers and is used to defend territories that pairs maintain year‑round. Despite being related to ducks and geese, it sports wing spurs more reminiscent of gamebirds, and its chicks are precocial, able to forage almost immediately after hatching. Few birds combine such prehistoric appearance, unusual anatomy, and cultural significance, making the Horned Screamer one of the most fascinating denizens of South American wetlands.