Frederick D. Welch — Notes on Screamers



1G5



Aviary, it made occasionally a noise like the word “ week ” in a loud

tone, but only singly when heard by me, never repeated. This Derbian

Screamer seemed to me not to have yet completed its full size in body

growth, although the legs were large and well developed and red as in

C. cristata ; and I therefore arrived at the conclusion that the “ week ”

was the voice of the species when not fully adult. When uttered, it was

made while the bird was walking about, and had nothing to do with

alarm, thus agreeing with observations I made in former years on the

Crested Screamer. In this connexion two scenes noticed with the

C. cristata opposite to this C. chavaria seem worth mentioning, as both

again supported my previous remarks.


When one C. cristata was pecking at food supplied for the other

inmates of the aviary, a pair of Great American Egret ( Herodias

egretta) advanced in a threatening manner towards it, clearly wanting

some of the meat, and displaying with their beaks at the Screamer.

The latter, without making any noise, faced round on them with wings

raised and showing the spurs, a habit I have previously noticed.


Later on, both examples of C. cristata were resting on the grass,

feeding on it as is their habit, when an Ibis, walking up to them from

behind, pecked at the back of one. Here, again, there was no

sound uttered by either Screamer, although both at once rose with

wings opened, showing spurs, and remained so until the Ibis retreated,

after which they sat down and started feeding on grass as before. The

voice has nothing to do with alarm. On the ground, both species move

rather awkwardly with slow walk, and it was therefore surprising to me

to see the ease with which one C. cristata rose, about an hour later, and

flew down the Aviary ; but I was not fortunate enough to see the

C. chavaria fly, although it frequently raised its wings and looked

upwards as if it would do so. While agreeing in general shape

and colour with C. cristata, the broad, black collar covering most of

the neck makes C. chavaria more elegant, as does the contrast of red

round the eyes, the grey crown and crest, and the prevalence of white

on the lower part of the head. The iris is dark brown.


[The example of the Derbian Screamer (Chauna chavaria ) referred

to by Mr. Welch arrived at the Gardens recently with the consignment

of birds from New York. Judging from its colours, it appears to be



