Silhouette: Jefry Saavedra-Gutiérrez · PhyloPic

Bigua cormorant

Q: What are the chances of seeing a Bigua cormorant in Tortuguero National Park?

Possible. About 30% of wildlife watchers report a Bigua cormorant sighting in Tortuguero National Park on a given day, based on 1,005 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 43rd most-seen of the 348 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 70%, and over a week to about 90%, if each day is a fresh chance.

Q: When is the best time to see a Bigua cormorant in Tortuguero National Park?

February and October. In those months about 40% of wildlife watchers report a Bigua cormorant in Tortuguero National Park on a given day, against about 20% in March–April and July, the lowest months.

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 Tortuguero National Park the best place to see a Bigua cormorant?

16th of 77. Of the 77 parks where we can rate Bigua cormorant sightings, Tortuguero National Park ranks 16th at about 30%. The best odds are in Parque Estadual Encontro das Águas (Brazil, about 80%), Península Valdés (Argentina, about 80%) and Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve (Mexico, about 60%). All parks ranked.

Q: Which relatives of the Bigua cormorant live in Tortuguero National Park?

Same order: Suliformes. The closest relatives of the Bigua cormorant that you can see in Tortuguero National Park (order Suliformes, Gannets, Cormorants, and Allies) are Anhinga (about 60%) and Magnificent Frigatebird (about 40%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.

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 Tortuguero National Park (1,005 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 ~30% · Possible

at Tortuguero National Park

In 3 days ~70% in a week ~90%

1,005 Verified sightings at Tortuguero National Park From 2019 to 2026

23,737 In all 77 parks

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

Anhinga anhinga

Daily sighting probability ~60% · Likely

Fregata magnificens

Daily sighting probability ~40% · Likely

Sula leucogaster

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Sula sula

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Psarocolius montezuma

Daily sighting probability ~80% · Very likely

Coragyps atratus

Daily sighting probability ~70% · Very likely

Pitangus sulphuratus

Daily sighting probability ~70% · Very likely

Cathartes aura

Daily sighting probability ~60% · Likely

Egretta caerulea

Daily sighting probability ~60% · Likely

Tigrisoma mexicanum

Daily sighting probability ~60% · Likely

Ramphastos sulfuratus

Daily sighting probability ~60% · Likely

Ara ambiguus

Daily sighting probability ~60% · Likely

See all 12 relatives Show fewer

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing a Bigua cormorant in Tortuguero National Park?

Possible

About 30% of wildlife watchers report a Bigua cormorant sighting in Tortuguero National Park on a given day, based on 1,005 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 43rd most-seen of the 348 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 70%, and over a week to about 90%, if each day is a fresh chance.

When is the best time to see a Bigua cormorant in Tortuguero National Park?

February and October

In those months about 40% of wildlife watchers report a Bigua cormorant in Tortuguero National Park on a given day, against about 20% in March–April and July, the lowest months.

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 Tortuguero National Park the best place to see a Bigua cormorant?

16th of 77

Of the 77 parks where we can rate Bigua cormorant sightings, Tortuguero National Park ranks 16th at about 30%. The best odds are in Parque Estadual Encontro das Águas (Brazil, about 80%), Península Valdés (Argentina, about 80%) and Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve (Mexico, about 60%). All parks ranked.

Which relatives of the Bigua cormorant live in Tortuguero National Park?

Same order: Suliformes

The closest relatives of the Bigua cormorant that you can see in Tortuguero National Park (order Suliformes, Gannets, Cormorants, and Allies) are Anhinga (about 60%) and Magnificent Frigatebird (about 40%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.

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 Tortuguero National Park (1,005 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 Tortuguero National Park

Bigua cormorant

About the Bigua cormorant

Sounds

Recent sightings of Bigua cormorant in Tortuguero National Park

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found

Cities Where Found

Zoos & Centres Where Found

Closest Relatives at Tortuguero National Park

Anhinga

Magnificent Frigatebird

Brown Booby

Red-footed Booby

Montezuma Oropendola

Black Vulture

Great Kiskadee

Turkey Vulture

Little Blue Heron

Bare-throated Tiger Heron

Keel-billed Toucan

Great Green Macaw

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing a Bigua cormorant in Tortuguero National Park?

When is the best time to see a Bigua cormorant in Tortuguero National Park?

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

Is Tortuguero National Park the best place to see a Bigua cormorant?

Which relatives of the Bigua cormorant live in Tortuguero National Park?

Where does the Bigua cormorant sighting chance come from?