Hoatzin

*Top 50 Target Species

The Hoatzin is a bizarre, leaf-eating bird found in Ecuador’s Amazonian lowlands, where it inhabits swampy forests, oxbow lakes, and slow-moving rivers. Globally listed as Least Concern, it remains locally common in riparian zones like those of the Napo and Pastaza rivers, though vulnerable to wetland degradation. Notable for its blue facial skin, spiky crest, and clumsy flight, the Hoatzin is most famous for its chicks, which sport clawed wings and can swim to escape predators. Its unique digestive system ferments foliage like a cow’s, earning it the nickname “stinkbird” due to its pungent odor.