Southern screamers hatch at Paignton Zoo

Staff in the charity’s Bird Department are celebrating after their pair of southern screamers hatched four chicks.

The eggs hatched on Friday, August 27. Curator of Birds Jo Gregson said: “This is a special event for us as this is the first time we have ever hatched southern screamers.” Bird staff decided to hand-rear two of the chicks and leave two with the parents. Jo explained: “Four is a lot for a new mother and it is quite late in the season.”

The adult birds came to Paignton Zoo at the end of 2006. The parents and two chicks are in an aviary near the Zoo’s Avian Breeding Centre, where keeping staff are caring for the other chicks.

The southern screamer (Chauna torquata) comes from South America and is found in tropical swamps and waterways. Adults mate for life. Chicks leave the nest as soon as they hatch and fledge after eight to 14 weeks.

This large bird is not endangered but it is rarely seen in zoos. It has partially webbed feet and is a good swimmer. It also has bony spurs on its wings which can be used for defence.

They are named for their loud calls which can be heard up to two miles away. Jo: “The call is not all that pretty – I’d describe it as a rusty scream!”