Hoofed chicken: An ancient bird species with the ability to swim and a distinctive smell.
Vietnam.vn EN
25/02/2026 00:35:00
The crested chicken, with its unusual appearance, the excellent swimming ability of its chicks, and its foul odor, has become a symbol of Amazonian biodiversity.
This bird has a "prehistoric" appearance. The crested chicken possesses reddish-brown plumage, a featherless blue face, and an erect, crown-like crest. Its distinctive appearance leads many to associate it with ancient birds that existed tens of millions of years ago. Photo: Pinterest.
Young birds have claws on their wings. The strangest thing about the clawed chicken is that the young birds have two small claws at the tips of their wings. When in danger, they can drop into the water, then use their claws to cling to a branch and climb back to their nest. Photo: infradoxxs.com.
Their digestive system is similar to… a cow's. The crested fowl is one of the very few leaf-eating birds that digests through microbial fermentation in its crop. This process is similar to ruminants, helping them break down cellulose but also producing feces with a distinctive odor. Photo: Pinterest.
Nicknamed the "stinkbird," their bodies emit a strong odor due to fermented food in their crop. This inadvertently makes them less likely to be hunted for food. (Photo: Pinterest)
They live in flocks along rivers. These birds usually gather in small groups of 10–30 individuals, inhabiting wetlands and the banks of the Amazon and Orinoco rivers. They rarely fly far, mainly perching and moving slowly through the foliage. Photo: Pinterest.
Adult birds are poor flyers, while young birds are excellent swimmers. Adult birds fly heavily over short distances and cannot swim. Conversely, young birds, when they fall into water, can swim quite skillfully before climbing back into their nests using their claws and wings. (Image: infradoxxs.com)
The taxonomic position is controversial. For decades,
scientists debated the closest relatives of the hoofed chicken because they don't resemble any other bird group so clearly. Now, they are classified into a separate order, demonstrating their evolutionary uniqueness. Photo: Pinterest.
The natural symbol of Guyana. The crested grouse has been chosen as the national bird of Guyana, representing pride in the biodiversity of the Amazon region. Their presence underscores the importance of conserving the South American wetland ecosystem. Photo: Pinterest.
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