A worldwide community photographing and learning about wildlife
Project Noah Nature School
Ophisthocomus hoazin
The Hoatzin, also known as the Hoactzin, Stinkbird, or Canje Pheasant, is a species of tropical bird found in swamps, riverine forest and mangrove of the Amazon and the Orinoco delta in South America.
The Hoatzin is sometimes considered to be the missing link between birds and their distant ancestors. Hoatzins have multiple chambered stomachs to assist in digestion of eaten leaves - and is a strict leaf eating species. The Young of the Hoatzin have claws on the ends of their wings - another prehistoric trait. When a predator approaches the nest of a hoatzin over the water, the young will jump from the nest falling into the water. Because hoatzin can not swim, they will sink to the bottom and use their claws to pull themselves onto the shore and back to their nest avoiding predation. This was my number 1 target species in the amazon and I was not disappointed.
Spotted on May 16, 2013
Submitted on May 26, 2013
20 Comments
Yes it does Nataliav. Thanks for stopping by. This is one of my favorite spottings from my time in the Amazon this last May. Hard to believe its been over a year ago!
Thanks Neil - Missing link is referring back to the ancient common ancestor for all birds - or at least our understanding of it. The Hoatzin retains very very many of these traits, phentypically, and genotypically speaking ;-)
Now that is a pretty funky bird! Missing link? Looks like he's a mixture of several birds. Great photos, Cody.
Thanks Penbanks and Phillip, these are very cool species! Just by the way they look alone, but you should really look at their life histroy. Absolutely crazy stuff.
Hoatzins are amazing they look so ancient! Amazing spotting and excellent photos Cody!
Very cool.
Thanks Gerardo!
Extraordinary spot and series :)
Thanks Juan - yes this is what intrigued me so much about the Hoatzin. When the Archaeopteryx fossils were exhibited a couple hours from my house I was able to view them and take some photographs, this was during my time in Ornithology at the university. When we learned about this species, I was hooked. Such an experience to see one in the wild and just observe its crazy beauty.
Very interesting and primitive bird, its almost like watching an Archaeopteryx
I do not know why they refer to them as stinkbirds. I imagine they are fairly gassy though considering their diets and multitudes of stomach chambers ;-) And yes, it was a thrill to find so many so easily when I spent my time in the amazon basin.
Fantastic and congrats on finding your number one target - you must have been over the moon!! Very interesting information, especially about the dropping-into-water strategy. Do you know why they are also called stinkbirds?
Spott on !!! Fantastic..
fantastic shots!
Beautiful!
Yeah, the second is definitely my second favorite, but the wings up is the image I envisioned and the one I was anxious to capture! Mark - these were all taken from a canoe, handheld and on a tripod, except the third was taken from the porch of my cabana at the eco lodge :-)
I like the second one way better :)
Super shots Cody! You must have got dirty boots doing these !?
Thanks Ashley! I spent a lot of time working with these birds when the lighting was good to ensure I nailed the shots. The first shot in this series was the best from the trip, and nearly full frame. Can't wait to get a 20x30 print!
Love these shots!