Hoatzin Bird from Answers in Genesis

Hoatzin ( Opisthocomus hoazin) by Ian

Hoatzin Bird: Evidence Against Evolutionary Ideas from Answers in Genesis, by Harry F. Sanders, III

Answers in Genesis has a very interesting article about the Hoatzin Bird on line [. See Hoatzin Bird: Evidence Against Evolutionary Ideas, by Harry F. Sanders, III.

I would like to share a few quotes from the article, trusting that you will follow the link to read the full article. The Hoatzin is one of those birds that the evolutionist can’t figure out what to do with. It is not a typical bird that can be neatly tucked into a family or an order. Evolutionist try so hard to convince us that dinosaurs evolved into birds, that they are really puzzled about this unique Avian Wonder from Our Creator.

“Let them praise the name of the LORD: for he commanded, and they were created.” (Psalms 148:5 KJV)

“The hoatzin is a very unique bird, something of a conglomeration of traits typical of birds, reptiles, and even mammals. As a bird, it shares characteristics typical of birds such as being warm-blooded, having feathers, and so on. It is roughly the size of a turkey, with a colorful, crested head and long tail feathers. However, its most interesting and unique features are distinctly un-birdlike.”

The Hoatzin history is traced through Africa mainly, and then found in France, Brazil, and Columbia. Yet, all they find is a single bone or two in each place, and come up with their conclusions.

Hoatzin(Opisthocomushoazin) by Kent Nickel

Hoatzin(Opisthocomushoazin) by Kent Nickel

“The enigmatic Opisthocomus (hoatzin) still cannot be confidently placed, but some putative sister relationships can be rejected.”10 The hoatzins unique traits and obvious discontinuity from other birds have completely impeded any evolutionary attempt to classify it. Evolutionary scientists have no explanation for the origin of the hoatzin, despite numerous attempts to create a phylogenetic tree that will fit them.”

One of the paragraph headings tells the whole story, at least as I see it. “Designed to Do What It Does Do” It eats leaves only, has a claw on wing when born, has a unique stomach and digestive system,

“Even ignoring the devastating blow hoatzin deals to Archaeopteryx as a transitional form, it causes evolutionists other significant problems, as evidenced by the trouble it gives to their cladistic models. They simply cannot determine what its ancestor was. However, if they would pause long enough to consider Genesis 1, they might recognize that hoatzin likely is its own created kind and thus its ancestor was a hoatzin.29

[Above quotes from the article Hoatzin Bird: Evidence Against Evolutionary Ideas]

Interesting Facts:

  • Hoatzin can reach 25 inches in length and 1.78 pounds of weight.
  • Hoatzin has a long neck, small head with reddish-brown crest, and blue facial skin with red eyes. Its body is covered with dark and light brown feathers combined with white and yellow feathers.
  • Hoatzin has a long tail composed of ten, loosely attached feathers.
  • Hoatzin is a clumsy bird. It spends most of the time near the water and on the branches of the surrounding trees.

From Wikipedia: “The hoatzin (Opisthocomus hoazin), also known as the reptile birdskunk birdstinkbird, or Canje pheasant, is a species of tropical bird found in swamps, riparian forests, and mangroves of the Amazon and the Orinoco basins in South America. It is notable for having chicks that have claws on two of their wing digits.

It is the only member of the genus Opisthocomus (Ancient Greek: “long hair behind”, referring to its large crest). This is the only extant genus in the family Opisthocomidae. The taxonomic position of this family has been greatly debated by specialists, and is still far from clear.”

Hoatzin

Interesting Birds – Hoatzin

Hoatzin – The Stinker

Opisthocomidae – Hoatzin

The Wise Owl

The Hamerkop Has It’s Own Family

Hamerkop (Scopus umbretta) by Africaddict

“And God blessed them, saying, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth.” So the evening and the morning were the fifth day.” (Genesis 1:22-23 NKJV)

What an interesting name for a bird. He is not a policeman (cop), but its head does, sort of, look like a hammer. Don’t you agree?

Goodly Hammer ©Flickr Lenore Edman

Hamerkops are in a family by itself, because the birding authorities are not sure which family to add it to. So, they made a family, called the Scopidae Family.

“The single Hamerkop in this family lives in sub-Saharan Africa and has unique habits and behaviorIt has a few features like those of heronsIt has an odd mix of other habits which are similar to the shoebill, flamingos, and storksIt has ectoparasites that are otherwise found only in ploversGiven this, its origin and relationship to other birds are considered unclear (Roberson 2012), so it is considered here to belong to its own kind.” By Dr. Jean Lightner (See below)

Hamerkop (Scopus umbretta) at NA by Dan

It is found in Africa, Madagascar to Arabia, living in a wide variety of wetlands, including estuaries, lakesides, fish ponds, riverbanks and rocky coasts.

Hamerkop (Scopus umbretta) With Nesting Material ©WikiC

The strangest aspect of hamerkop behaviour is the huge nest, sometimes more than 1.5 metres (4 ft 11 in) across, and strong enough to support a man’s weight. When possible, it is built in the fork of a tree, often over water, but if necessary it is built on a bank, a cliff, a human-built wall or dam, or on the ground. A pair starts by making a platform of sticks held together with mud, then builds walls and a domed roof. A mud-plastered entrance 13–18 centimetres (5.1–7.1 in) wide in the bottom leads through a tunnel up to 60 centimetres (24 in) long to a nesting chamber big enough for the parents and young.

Hamerkop (Scopus umbretta) Nest in Acacia Tree ©WikiC

Nests have been recorded to take between 10 and 14 weeks to build, and one researcher estimated that they would require around 8000 sticks or bunches of grass to complete. Nesting material may still be added by the pair after the nest has been completed and eggs have been laid. Much of the nesting material added after completion is not sticks but an odd collection of random items including bones, hide and human waste.

Hamerkop (Scopus umbretta) by Africaddict

Hamerkop (Scopus umbretta) by Africaddict

This is just another one of The Lord’s Avian Wonders. Just thought you might enjoy reading about this neat bird.

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Hamerkop’s Scopidae Family

Pelecaniformes Order

Birdwatching the National Aviary – Tropical Forest

An Initial Estimate of Avian Ark Kinds by Dr. Jean Lightner on November 27, 2013

Wordless Toucan