Elementary My Dear Hoatzin

By Rachel Rowland

What noise do I make?

HoatzinOpisthocomus hoatzin

Peculiar Bird of the Amazon: Why?

1.Vocalizations2.Odor3.Digestive Tract4.Food Selection5.Communal

Nesting6.Wing claws

Odor

Hoatzins are sometimes referred to as Stinkbird.

Foregut Fermentation(Before stomach)

Photo taken from http://people.eku.edu/ritchisong/RITCHISO/birddigestivetract on May 21, 2009.

• Microbes in the foregut • Breaks down tough cell walls• Long retention time

Awkward!

• Large gut makes it hard to fly• Callus developed for easier resting while digesting• Most of their day is spent sitting

Obligate Folivore

Say what?Diet consists of only plants (including the one pictured on the right).

• Atypical in birds• Primarily young leaves• Rarely eats other plant parts• No water

Communal Nesting• Large dry season groups• Breeding groups• Breeders/Helpers• Clutch size 1-5 eggs (Avg = 2)

Claws like prehistoric Archaeopteryx?

Abandon ShipWho let him drive this thing?!?!

Ferraro Films Video?http://www.ferrarofilms.net/EDUCACION/VIDEOS/Hoatzin.mp4

Questions?

Thank You!