COCOI (WHITE-NECKED) HERON

Did you know? While Cocoi Herons are quite rare, they’re easily visible on the way to our Rainforest Expeditions lodges!

On the boat ride to our Rainforest Expeditions lodges in the Peruvian Amazon jungle, the water is tranquil. But all around — beneath the surface and along the banks — the rainforest is full of life. You’ll likely spy the striking black, gray, and white Cocoi Heron, often called the White-Necked Heron. The Cocoi Heron (Ardea cocoi) is one of the largest wading birds in our Tambopata home.

Like other herons and egrets, the four-foot-tall Cocoi Heron spends the day wading in the shallows at the edges of rivers, oxbow lakes, and marshes. Patiently watching for fish, frogs, and other small animals, the Cocoi Heron catches them with a swift strike of its dagger-like bill. There are naturally low numbers of the Cocoi Heron. Despite this, however, most of our guests spot this beautiful waterbird! This is because the heron spends long amounts of time standing in open areas, making it easy to see.

The Cocoi Heron lives in Southeastern Peru, although some may migrate west up the Tambopata River from savanna habitats during the dry season. Like other herons, the Cocoi Heron nests in colonies, usually near large oxbow lakes. It has few natural predators — although Black Caimans, Anacondas, and big cats wouldn’t pass up the opportunity to catch one, given the chance!

Cocoi Heron Fun Facts

• A Tupi name: Like several other South American birds, the Cocoi Heron’s name comes from the Tupi language. The Tupi indigenous people lived along the Atlantic coast of Brazil before the arrival of the Portuguese. The Tupi referred to this large heron as the “Cocoi,” which means the “bird with a hopping walk.”


• Related to Other Herons: People familiar with Great Blue and Gray Herons will note similarities between those species and the Cocoi. In fact, these three birds are closely related, with similar shapes, behavior, and feather patterns.


• Also known as the White-Necked Heron: The Cocoi has also been called “White-necked Heron.” Since other herons already go by that name, most now refer to our feathered friend as the Cocoi Heron. Widespread species: Cocoi Herons thrive in a variety of wetlands, from Panama all the way south to Chile and Argentina. They sometimes live at high elevations in the Andean mountains, and have even shown up in the far southern Falkland Islands!