Horned Screamer

The Horned Screamer is a rare resident in Ecuador, confined to lowland wetlands and marshes of the Amazonian region, generally below 500 m. It occurs locally and patchily, often in small groups along oxbow lakes, flooded grasslands, and swampy forest edges. The species is currently assessed as Least Concern by the IUCN, but its dependence on intact wetland habitats makes it vulnerable to drainage and habitat alteration. Its distinctive horn-like casque and loud, far-carrying calls mark it as one of the most unusual and conspicuous waterbirds of Ecuador’s Amazonian lowlands.