Silhouette: Jefry Saavedra-Gutiérrez · PhyloPic

Bigua cormorant

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

Rare. Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Bigua cormorant sighting in Yasuní National Park on a given day, based on 145 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 274th most-seen of the 533 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 10%, and over a week to about 30%, if each day is a fresh chance.

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

March and October–December. In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Bigua cormorant in Yasuní National Park on a given day, against under 5% in January–February and April–September, 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 Yasuní National Park the best place to see a Bigua cormorant?

52nd of 77. Of the 77 parks where we can rate Bigua cormorant sightings, Yasuní National Park ranks 52nd at under 5%. 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: 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 Yasuní National Park (145 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 <5% · Rare

at Yasuní National Park

In 3 days ~10% in a week ~30%

145 Verified sightings at Yasuní National Park From 2019 to 2026

23,737 In all 77 parks

October 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 Yasuní National Park

Anhinga anhinga

Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible

Cacicus cela

Daily sighting probability ~60% · Likely

Psarocolius angustifrons

Daily sighting probability ~60% · Likely

Ramphastos tucanus

Daily sighting probability ~50% · Likely

Crotophaga major

Daily sighting probability ~50% · Likely

Brotogeris cyanoptera

Daily sighting probability ~50% · Likely

Tyrannus melancholicus

Daily sighting probability ~50% · Likely

Opisthocomus hoazin

Daily sighting probability ~50% · Likely

Cathartes melambrotus

Daily sighting probability ~50% · Likely

Pitangus sulphuratus

Daily sighting probability ~50% · Likely

Capito auratus

Daily sighting probability ~50% · Likely

Cyanocorax violaceus

Daily sighting probability ~50% · Likely

See all 12 relatives Show fewer

Before you go

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

Rare

Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Bigua cormorant sighting in Yasuní National Park on a given day, based on 145 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 274th most-seen of the 533 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 10%, and over a week to about 30%, if each day is a fresh chance.

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

March and October–December

In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Bigua cormorant in Yasuní National Park on a given day, against under 5% in January–February and April–September, 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 Yasuní National Park the best place to see a Bigua cormorant?

52nd of 77

Of the 77 parks where we can rate Bigua cormorant sightings, Yasuní National Park ranks 52nd at under 5%. 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.

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 Yasuní National Park (145 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 Yasuní National Park

Bigua cormorant

About the Bigua cormorant

Sounds

Recent sightings of Bigua cormorant in Yasuní National Park

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found

Cities Where Found

Zoos & Centres Where Found

Closest Relatives at Yasuní National Park

Anhinga

Yellow-rumped Cacique

Russet-backed Oropendola

White-throated Toucan

Greater Ani

Cobalt-winged Parakeet

Tropical Kingbird

Hoatzin

Greater Yellow-headed Vulture

Great Kiskadee

Gilded Barbet

Violaceous Jay

Before you go

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

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

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

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

Where does the Bigua cormorant sighting chance come from?