either of two South American, crested gruiform birds (family Cariamidae) with a long neck, one (Cariama cristata) with long, red legs and one (Chunga burmeisteri) with shorter, black legs
Origin:
ModL < Tupí seriema, lit., crested
See seriema in American Heritage Dictionary 4
noun
Either of two cranelike birds (Cariama cristata or Chunga burmeisteri) of southern South America, having a tuftlike crest at the base of the bill and living mostly on land where they feed on snakes, worms, and insects.