Hoatzin
Opisthocomus hoazin
Where is it found?
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Forests, swamps and mangroves
Diet and foraging method
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Perch in trees or on the ground near the water edge to feed on leaves.
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Key adaptations
Hoatzin chicks have claws on their wings to help them move around the tree canopy while they can't fly. This is crucial as many Hoatzin chicks fall out of their nests into the water below and without claws, chicks would not be able to climb out of the water back into a tree.
Social organisation and mating system
Live in family groups
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Hoazins form socially monogamous pairs for breeding
Did you know that...?
Hoatzins are sometimes called "stinkbirds"!
Hoatzins have special bacteria in their stomachs to help them digest leaves, but an unfortunate consequence is that bad smells are produced during digestion, hence the nickname.
Hoatzins have special bacteria in their stomachs to help them digest leaves, but an unfortunate consequence is that bad smells are produced during digestion, hence the nickname.
Taxonomy
Picture credits:
Maps from: http://species.mol.org/species/
"Opisthocomus hoazin" by Linda De Volder - Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Opisthocomus_hoazin.jpg#/media/File:Opisthocomus_hoazin.jpg
"Opisthocomus hoazin -Peru -three-8" by Ricardo Sánchez - originally posted to Flickr as Hoacín. Licensed under CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Opisthocomus_hoazin_-Peru_-three-8.jpg#/media/File:Opisthocomus_hoazin_-Peru_-three-8.jpg
"Hoatzin chick" by J. Arthur Thomson. - http://www.gutenberg.org/files/20417/20417-h/20417-h.htm. Licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Hoatzin_chick.jpg#/media/File:Hoatzin_chick.jpg
"Opisthocomus hoazin" by Linda De Volder - Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Opisthocomus_hoazin.jpg#/media/File:Opisthocomus_hoazin.jpg
"Opisthocomus hoazin -Peru -three-8" by Ricardo Sánchez - originally posted to Flickr as Hoacín. Licensed under CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Opisthocomus_hoazin_-Peru_-three-8.jpg#/media/File:Opisthocomus_hoazin_-Peru_-three-8.jpg
"Hoatzin chick" by J. Arthur Thomson. - http://www.gutenberg.org/files/20417/20417-h/20417-h.htm. Licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Hoatzin_chick.jpg#/media/File:Hoatzin_chick.jpg
