Hoatzin

La historia

This is a Hoatzin (Opisthocomus hoazin) that I photographed in La Macarena, Meta, Colombia on July 6, 2017. It lives in swamps, riverside forest and mangroves of the Amazon and Orinoco basins. It is the only living member of its family, and its chicks have claws on two of their wing digits. Its digestive system ferments plant matter, a trait better known from cattle and other ruminant mammals. IUCN lists the species as Least Concern. In 1948 the central part of the Serranía de la Macarena became the first national reserve in Colombia.

I made this frame with a Canon EOS 70D and the EF400mm f/5.6L USM, at 1/250 sec, f/5.6, ISO 100. La Macarena is a growing ecotourism destination, and visiting with local guides is one way to support the communities that protect its rivers and forests.

El ave

The Hoatzin (Opisthocomus hoazin) pertenece a la familia Opisthocomidae (Hoatzin) en la taxonomía eBird/Clements.

Fuente: eBird.org (se abre en una pestaña nueva)

Conservación

Least Concern on the IUCN Red List (assessment published 2024), with the population trend listed as decreasing. Fuente: Lista Roja de la UICN