Bird Album
Hoatzin
Opisthocomus hoazin (Müller, PLS, 1776)
65 cmLength696 gWeight
The hoatzin (Opisthocomus hoazin) is a species of tropical bird found in swamps, riparian forests, and mangroves of the Amazon and Orinoco Basins in South America.
Busiest months: October–November · Most records: Ecuador, Peru, Colombia
Where and when it's recorded
Busiest months: October–November · Most records: Ecuador, Peru, Colombia
Hoatzin has been recorded at 88 of the 8,276 birding hotspots we track, in 8 countries and regions.
Records by month Southern Hemisphere
Where it's recorded most
- Sani LodgeEcuador2,838 records
- Sacha LodgeEcuador1,597 records
- Manu BiolodgePeru1,560 records
More places
- Napo Wildlife CenterEcuador1,000 records
- Amazonía LodgePeru884 records
- Napo Wildlife Center – Añangu CreekEcuador812 records
- Universidad de Los LlanosColombia685 records
- Reserva Biológica LimoncochaEcuador663 records
- Finca Villa NiceColombia611 records
- Lago SandovalPeru545 records
Countries and regions with the most records
eBird records via GBIF up to 2024-12-31. A record means someone listed it; more records partly mean more birders, not more birds.
About
The hoatzin (Opisthocomus hoazin) is a species of tropical bird found in swamps, riparian forests, and mangroves of the Amazon and Orinoco Basins in South America. It is the only extant species in the genus Opisthocomus which is the only extant genus in the family Opisthocomidae under the order Opisthocomiformes. Despite being the subject of intense debate by specialists, the taxonomic position of this family is still far from clear.
Excerpt from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 · authors · Read more on Wikipedia
Questions
How big is the Hoatzin?
The Hoatzin is about 65 cm long and weighs around 696 g.
Where does the Hoatzin live?
Its breeding range: South America: Amazonia. It is most often recorded in Ecuador, Peru and Colombia.
When is the best time to see the Hoatzin?
At the hotspots we track, it is recorded most in October and November (Southern Hemisphere).
Is the Hoatzin endangered?
The IUCN Red List classifies the Hoatzin as Least Concern.
What does the Hoatzin eat?
Main food: Land plants.
What family is the Hoatzin in?
It belongs to the family Hoatzin (Opisthocomidae), order Opisthocomiformes.
At a glance
- Length
- 65 cm
- Weight
- 696 g
- Habitat
- Rivers & streams
- Diet
- Land plants
- Lifestyle
- Perches in trees
- Migration
- Resident (barely migrates)
- Conservation
- Least Concern
More measurements
- Wing
- 322 mm
- Tail
- 291 mm
- Bill
- 33 mm
- Tarsus
- 51 mm
Averages from the AVONET dataset; length from field guides where available.
Range
South America: Amazonia
Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2
Classification
- Order
- Opisthocomiformes
- Family
- Hoatzin Opisthocomidae
- Genus
- Opisthocomus
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Free to use with credit: “Illustration: Bird Album (birdalbum.com)”. Drawn by AI from a reference photo by Philipp Hoenle. ↗
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