Hoatzin
Opisthocomus hoazin
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The hoatzin is a very unique bird. Their closest relatives are the cuckoos although the two look nothing alike. They are a chicken sized bird that exhibits a large crest of long dark red feathers on their small heads, a reddish-brown feather covered body, and a long black tail. They have two large claws on each wing, which the young use to leave the nest before they can fly, using the claws to climb through vegetation. These claws are similar to those found on the ancient fossil, Archaeopteryx. If threatened, the birds often plunge into water to escape. Hoatzins are mainly found in the Amazon and Orinoco basins and are the only bird that digests vegetation by fermentation, much like a cow. Although they can fly awkwardly over short distances, they spend much of their lives perched. When they need to move they often simply hop from branch to branch.
