Territoriality and home range of the red-legged seriema (cariama cristata)

Abstract

Little is known about the ecology and biology of the Red-legged Seriema (Cariama cristata), a large territorial South American bird. This study aimed to describe aspects of the home range and territoriality of C. Cristata in an anthropized region of the Cerrado in the western central Brazil. Based on georeferenced observations, the Minimum Convex Polygon 100% (MCP) and Kernel density (95% and 50%) methods were used to construct home-range maps for five family groups of C. Cristata. The mean (± SD) home-range sizes were estimated as 24.34 ± 13.31 ha (100% MCP), 20.13 ± 6.69 ha (fixed Kernel 95%) and 18.98 ± 7.64 ha (fixed Kernel 50%). There was little overlap among the home ranges of the different groups. Territorial defense observed included duetting vocalizations and agonistic encounters. We conclude that the home ranges of C. Cristata have little overlap, and that the entire home range is treated as a territory and defended against intruders.