Cariama cristata, 75 to 90 centimeters long, 1.5 kg in weight. It has a red bill, on the head a crest.
It is a sedentary bird, hunts snakes and is very noisy.
It can fly well, but prefers to walk. When in danger, the crested serpent first screams loudly to scare the enemy away. After that, it will run rather than fly away.
The crested cariama has a lot on its menu, such as meat, seeds and fruits. With its beak, the crested serma strikes live prey against a stone to kill it. The prey is then eaten from its claws.