The Story
On July 6, 2017, I photographed this Hoatzin (Opisthocomus hoazin) in La Macarena, Meta, Colombia. Its digestive system ferments plant matter, a trait better known from cattle and other ruminant mammals. It has a bare blue face, maroon eyes and a spiky rufous crest. It is the national bird of Guyana, where it is called the Canje pheasant. IUCN lists the species as Least Concern. Botanists have recorded about 50 species of orchids and more than 2,400 other plant species in the Macarena mountains. La Macarena is a town and municipality in Meta Department, about 280 kilometers south of Bogotá.
I used a Canon EOS 70D and the EF400mm f/5.6L USM for this one, at 1/250 sec, f/5.6, ISO 250. The park here protects a meeting point of Amazon, Orinoco and Andean wildlife, and responsible visits help support it.
©2018 Adam Rainoff Photographer
The bird
The Hoatzin (Opisthocomus hoazin) belongs to the family Opisthocomidae (Hoatzin) in the eBird/Clements taxonomy.
Source: eBird.org (opens in a new tab)
Conservation
Least Concern on the IUCN Red List (assessment published 2024), with the population trend listed as decreasing. Source: IUCN Red List