The Story
I photographed this Cocoi Heron (Ardea cocoi) at Playa El Diablo, near La Macarena, Meta, Colombia, in February 2021. The origin of its species name is unknown, but it may come from cuca, a common name in Chile that refers to the bird’s call note. In one study on the Paraná River it preferred water with aquatic vegetation, then open water, and used beaches least. In the Falkland Islands it is found along small streams. It is found up to 2,550 meters above sea level. IUCN lists it as Least Concern.
I used a Canon R5 with the RF 800mm f/11 plus the RF 1.4x extender for this one, at 1/3000 sec, f/16, ISO 3200, −1.5 EV. La Macarena National Park was created by decree on September 1, 1989, and spreads across five municipalities of southern Meta.
©2021 Adam Rainoff Photographer
The bird
The Cocoi Heron (Ardea cocoi) belongs to the family Ardeidae (Herons, Egrets, and Bitterns) in the eBird/Clements taxonomy.
Source: eBird.org (opens in a new tab)
Conservation
Least Concern on the IUCN Red List (assessment published 2021), with the population trend listed as stable. Source: IUCN Red List
