One of the other national symbols chosen for Guyana is a bird - The Hoatzin or Canje Pheasant.
The adult Hoatzin is about 22 inches long from beak to tail. Its colour is redish-brown streaked with green. The under parts are pale brown. The feathers on its shoulder and sides are edged with creamy-white. There is a crest of very long feathers on its head which gives the bird an almost majestic look. The Hoatzin has a very short and very thick beak, and the skin around the crimson eye is of a pale blue colour.
This bird can be found throughout the year in areas along the banks of the Berbice River and its tributary, the Canje Creek, and to some extent, on the Abary, Mahaicony and Mahaica Rivers. It feeds on the leaves of aquatic vegetation. The nesting period for the Hoatzin is usually from April to September.
