Silhouette: Jefry Saavedra-Gutiérrez · PhyloPic

Bigua cormorant

Q: What are the chances of seeing a Bigua cormorant in Paracas National Reserve?

Very likely. About 80% of wildlife watchers report a Bigua cormorant sighting in Paracas National Reserve on a given day, based on 819 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the most-seen of the 84 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to over 90%, if each day is a fresh chance.

Q: When is the best time to see a Bigua cormorant in Paracas National Reserve?

April and July–August. In those months about 90% of wildlife watchers report a Bigua cormorant in Paracas National Reserve on a given day, against about 60% in January, the lowest month.

Q: What time of day is best to see a Bigua cormorant?

Between 8 and 11 am. Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Bigua cormorant sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.

Q: Is Paracas National Reserve the best place to see a Bigua cormorant?

Among the best. Of the 80 parks where we can rate Bigua cormorant sightings, Paracas National Reserve ranks 2nd at about 80%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Parque Estadual Encontro das Águas (Brazil, about 80%). All parks ranked.

Q: Where does the Bigua cormorant sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records. It is estimated from how often the Bigua cormorant is recorded against all the birds logged in Paracas National Reserve (819 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.

Phalacrocorax brasilianus

Silhouette: Jefry Saavedra-Gutiérrez · PhyloPic

LCLeast ConcernNTVUENCR

KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
PhylumChordata (Chordates)
ClassAves (Birds)
OrderSuliformes (Gannets, Cormorants, and Allies)
FamilyPhalacrocoracidae (Cormorants and Shags)
GenusPhalacrocorax (Typical Old World Cormorants)
SpeciesPhalacrocorax brasilianus (Bigua cormorant)

Daily sighting probability ~80% · Very likely

at Paracas National Reserve

In 3 days >90%

819 Verified sightings at Paracas National Reserve From 2019 to 2026

24,664 In all 80 parks

August Best month

☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted

About the Bigua cormorant

The neotropic cormorant or olivaceous cormorant (Nannopterum brasilianum) is a medium-sized cormorant found throughout the American tropics and subtropics, from the middle Rio Grande and the Gulf and Californian coasts of the United States south through Mexico and Central America to southern South America, where it is called by the indigenous name of biguá. It also breeds in the Bahamas, Cuba, and Trinidad. It can be found both on coasts (including some mangrove areas) and in inland waters. In Peru, the neotropic cormorant is used by the Uru people for fishing.

The neotropic cormorant was documented in 1658 by the Dutch naturalist Willem Piso after travels in Brazil. This formed the basis for the formal description and naming of the species by Johann Friedrich Gmelin in 1789. He placed it with the petrels in the genus Procellaria and coined the binomial name Procellaria brasiliana. Many authors preferred to use Alexander von Humboldt's 1805 description of Pelecanus olivaceus because the identity of Piso's birds was considered uncertain. Later, ornithological...

Wikipedia →

Sounds

Recording0:10

United States · 2021

Recording0:35

Peru · 2021

Recording0:16

Mexico · 2023

Global Distribution

Where it is recorded most Our parks where it lives Our cities where it livesIn captivity: 13 zoos & centres

Parks Where Found

#	Park	Country	Daily sighting probability
1	Parque Estadual Encontro das Águas	🇧🇷 Brazil	~80%
2	Paracas National Reserve	🇵🇪 Peru	~80%
3	Península Valdés	🇦🇷 Argentina	~80%
4	Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	~60%
5	Nahuel Huapi National Park	🇦🇷 Argentina	~50%
6	Iberá National Park	🇦🇷 Argentina	~40%
7	Celestún Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	~40%
8	Ciénaga de Zapata	🇨🇺 Cuba	~40%
9	Vicente Pérez Rosales National Park	🇨🇱 Chile	~40%
10	Anavilhanas National Park	🇧🇷 Brazil	~40%
11	Iguaçu National Park	🇧🇷 Brazil	~30%
12	Lauca National Park	🇨🇱 Chile	~30%
13	Carara National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~30%
14	Madidi National Park	🇧🇴 Bolivia	~30%
15	Biotopo Cerro Cahuí	🇬🇹 Guatemala	~30%
16	Ostional Wildlife Refuge	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~30%
17	Utría National Natural Park	🇨🇴 Colombia	~30%
18	Tortuguero National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~30%
19	Iguazú National Park	🇦🇷 Argentina	~30%
20	Pan de Azúcar National Park	🇨🇱 Chile	~30%
21	Caroni Swamp	🇹🇹 Trinidad and Tobago	~30%
22	Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve	🇪🇨 Ecuador	~30%
23	Montes Azules Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	~20%
24	Tierra del Fuego National Park	🇦🇷 Argentina	~20%
25	Manu National Park	🇵🇪 Peru	~20%
26	Las Baulas Marine National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~20%
27	Tijuca National Park	🇧🇷 Brazil	~20%
28	Bastimentos Island National Marine Park	🇵🇦 Panama	~20%
29	Tambopata National Reserve	🇵🇪 Peru	~20%
30	Amacayacu National Natural Park	🇨🇴 Colombia	~20%
31	Cañón del Sumidero National Park	🇲🇽 Mexico	~10%
32	Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	~10%
33	El Impenetrable National Park	🇦🇷 Argentina	~10%
34	San Lorenzo Protected Forest	🇵🇦 Panama	~10%
35	Machalilla National Park	🇪🇨 Ecuador	~10%
36	La Amistad International Park (Panama)	🇵🇦 Panama	~10%
37	Lago de Yojoa	🇭🇳 Honduras	~10%
38	Cabo Blanco Absolute Nature Reserve	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~10%
39	Palo Verde National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~10%
40	Darién National Park	🇵🇦 Panama	~10%
41	Marino Ballena National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~10%
42	Padre Island National Seashore	🇺🇸 United States	~10%
43	El Triunfo	🇲🇽 Mexico	~10%
44	Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~10%
45	Chagres National Park	🇵🇦 Panama	~10%
46	El Palmar National Park	🇦🇷 Argentina	~10%
47	Parque Natural Metropolitano	🇵🇦 Panama	~10%
48	Santa Rosa National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~10%
49	Henri Pittier National Park	🇻🇪 Venezuela	~10%
50	Braulio Carrillo National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~10%
51	Tayrona National Natural Park	🇨🇴 Colombia	~10%
52	Soberanía National Park	🇵🇦 Panama	~10%
53	Coiba National Park	🇵🇦 Panama	~10%
54	Everglades National Park	🇺🇸 United States	<5%
55	Yasuní National Park	🇪🇨 Ecuador	<5%
56	Arenal Volcano National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
57	Cahuita National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
58	Cerro Azul Meámbar National Park	🇭🇳 Honduras	<5%
59	Pico Bonito National Park	🇭🇳 Honduras	<5%
60	Corcovado National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
61	Manuel Antonio National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
62	Torres del Paine National Park	🇨🇱 Chile	<5%
63	Arrecifes de Cozumel National Park	🇲🇽 Mexico	<5%
64	Piedras Blancas National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
65	Bahía de Loreto National Park	🇲🇽 Mexico	<5%
66	Serra dos Órgãos National Park	🇧🇷 Brazil	<5%
67	Cumbres de Monterrey National Park	🇲🇽 Mexico	<5%
68	Chapada dos Guimarães National Park	🇧🇷 Brazil	<5%
69	Los Nevados National Natural Park	🇨🇴 Colombia	<5%
70	Farallones de Cali National Natural Park	🇨🇴 Colombia	<5%
71	Sierra de la Macarena National Park	🇨🇴 Colombia	<5%
72	Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary	🇧🇿 Belize	<5%
73	Saguaro National Park	🇺🇸 United States	<5%
74	Poás Volcano National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
75	Tenorio Volcano National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
76	Point Pelee National Park	🇨🇦 Canada	<5%
77	Itatiaia National Park	🇧🇷 Brazil	<5%
78	Volcán Barú National Park	🇵🇦 Panama	<5%
79	Tapantí-Macizo de la Muerte National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
80	Big Bend National Park	🇺🇸 United States	<5%

Cities Where Found

#	City	Country	Daily sighting probability
1	Barranquilla	🇨🇴 Colombia	~50%
2	León	🇲🇽 México	~50%
3	São Luís	🇧🇷 Brazil	~50%
4	Mesa	🇺🇸 United States	~50%
5	Buenos Aires	🇦🇷 Argentina	~40%
6	Montevideo	🇺🇾 Uruguay	~40%
7	Panama City	🇵🇦 Panama	~40%
8	Santa Cruz de la Sierra	🇧🇴 Bolivia	~40%
9	Lima	🇵🇪 Peru	~40%
10	Vitória	🇧🇷 Brazil	~30%

Zoos & Centres Where Found

#	Zoo / Centre	Country
1	San Diego Zoo	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity
2	Abilene Zoological Gardens	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity
3	Zoológico de Brasília	🇧🇷 Brazil	In captivity
4	Parque Municipal Summit	🇵🇦 Panama	In captivity
5	Temaikén	🇦🇷 Argentina	In captivity
6	Bioparque Municipal Vesty Pakos	🇧🇴 Bolivia	In captivity
7	Ecopark	🇦🇷 Argentina	In captivity
8	Aviario Nacional de Colombia	🇨🇴 Colombia	In captivity
9	The Abilene Zoo	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity
10	Mangal das Garças	🇧🇷 Brazil	In captivity
11	Parque Zoobotânico de Joinville	🇧🇷 Brazil	In captivity
12	Parque Zoobotânico Orquidário Municipal de Santos	🇧🇷 Brazil	In captivity
13	Zoológico del Parque de la Exposición	🇵🇪 Peru	In captivity

Show all 13 Show fewer

Closest Relatives at Paracas National Reserve

Phalacrocorax gaimardi

Daily sighting probability ~40% · Likely

Leucocarbo bougainvilliorum

Daily sighting probability ~50% · Likely

Sula variegata

Daily sighting probability ~80% · Very likely

Sula nebouxii

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Larus belcheri

Daily sighting probability ~80% · Very likely

Pelecanus thagus

Daily sighting probability ~80% · Very likely

Cathartes aura

Daily sighting probability ~70% · Very likely

Haematopus palliatus

Daily sighting probability ~70% · Very likely

Larosterna inca

Daily sighting probability ~60% · Likely

Larus dominicanus

Daily sighting probability ~60% · Likely

Chroicocephalus cirrocephalus

Daily sighting probability ~60% · Likely

Arenaria interpres

Daily sighting probability ~60% · Likely

See all 12 relatives Show fewer

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing a Bigua cormorant in Paracas National Reserve?

Very likely

About 80% of wildlife watchers report a Bigua cormorant sighting in Paracas National Reserve on a given day, based on 819 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the most-seen of the 84 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to over 90%, if each day is a fresh chance.

When is the best time to see a Bigua cormorant in Paracas National Reserve?

April and July–August

In those months about 90% of wildlife watchers report a Bigua cormorant in Paracas National Reserve on a given day, against about 60% in January, the lowest month.

What time of day is best to see a Bigua cormorant?

Between 8 and 11 am

Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Bigua cormorant sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.

Is Paracas National Reserve the best place to see a Bigua cormorant?

Among the best

Of the 80 parks where we can rate Bigua cormorant sightings, Paracas National Reserve ranks 2nd at about 80%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Parque Estadual Encontro das Águas (Brazil, about 80%). All parks ranked.

Where does the Bigua cormorant sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records

It is estimated from how often the Bigua cormorant is recorded against all the birds logged in Paracas National Reserve (819 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.

← Back to Paracas National Reserve

Bigua cormorant

About the Bigua cormorant

Sounds

Recent sightings of Bigua cormorant in Paracas National Reserve

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found

Cities Where Found

Zoos & Centres Where Found

Closest Relatives at Paracas National Reserve

Red-legged Cormorant

Guanay Cormorant

Peruvian Booby

Blue-footed Booby

Belcher's Gull

Peruvian Pelican

Turkey Vulture

American Oystercatcher

Inca Tern

Dominican Gull

Grey-hooded Gull

Ruddy Turnstone

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing a Bigua cormorant in Paracas National Reserve?

When is the best time to see a Bigua cormorant in Paracas National Reserve?

What time of day is best to see a Bigua cormorant?

Is Paracas National Reserve the best place to see a Bigua cormorant?

Where does the Bigua cormorant sighting chance come from?