This Captive Bird Uses a Toy to Practice Wild Survival Skills

The star of this fascinating video clip is Kevin, who was a bird called a red-legged seriema. Kevin was raised in captivity at the Columbus Zoo in Ohio. Observed by his keeper and some visitors, Kevin repeatedly picks up a plastic lizard toy and throws it at a piece of rock on the ground. Why is Kevin doing this, and why is he getting rewarded with a treat when he successfully hits the rock? Let’s examine the behavior of red-legged seriemas to find out.

About Red-Legged Seriemas

Red-legged seriemas (Cariama cristata) are striking birds native to Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay. They spend their time in hilly grasslands, meadows, thorny scrub, rivers, and streams. They can grow up to three feet in height. Their grey/white plumage provides camouflage in long grass, and their legs are red—hence their name.  

In terms of appearance, red-legged seriemas combine features of several birds. Their legs, feet, and claws resemble those of wading birds, their beaks are similar to those of chickens, and their posture is reminiscent of a rhea.

What Is the Purpose of the Thrashing Behavior?

These birds are opportunistic feeders and have a varied diet. They hunt arthropods, snakes, lizards, and small rodents. They supplement prey with eggs, grains, and fruit. When they are hunting reptiles and rodents, they subdue the prey by shaking it violently and/or smashing it against a rock. This is called thrashing. It is an important part of the hunting process because these birds do not swallow their prey whole. They rip it to pieces before swallowing it. It is vital that the prey is dead or at least immobilized so that it cannot run away!

Encouraging Natural Behavior

Animal welfare requires zoos and animal parks to provide opportunities for animals to behave as they would in the wild. We now know that this contributes greatly to their well-being. By providing Kevin with a pretend reptile and a stone, he can practice his thrashing technique as he would in the wild. It is an instinctual behavior, but it needs to be encouraged so that he can develop his technique.

You may notice that the zookeeper gives Kevin some food when he successfully hits the toy on the stone. This reward-based training encourages him to practice his technique and receive a reward for successful attempts, similar to how he would be rewarded by catching prey in the wild.