Sungrebe
SungrebeSungrebeSungrebeSungrebe

Sungrebe

Heliornis fulica

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
10–20% · With luck
overall probability at Yasuní National Park
555 Verified records at Yasuní National Park
September Best month highest sighting rate
☀️ Diurnal When it's active during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

The sungrebe or American finfoot (Heliornis fulica) is a small aquatic gruiform found in the tropical and subtropical Americas from northeastern Mexico to central Ecuador and southern Brazil. The sungrebe is now the only species placed in the genus Heliornis that was erected by the French naturalist Pierre Bonnaterre in 1791 with the sungrebe as the type species. The name of the genus combines the Ancient Greek hēlios meaning "sun" and ornis meaning "bird". The specific epithet fulica is Latin for "coot". These waterfowl have broad lobes on their feet, convergent to that of grebes or coots, that they use to propel themselves in the water. They are reclusive birds, preferring well-covered slow-flowing streams and secluded waterways, sometimes swimming partly submerged, like an anhinga. Wikipedia →

10–20% of wildlife watchers report a Sungrebe sighting in Yasuní National Park, based on 555 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Closest Relatives at Yasuní National Park

Limpkin
LC Endemic

Limpkin

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Aramus guarauna

10–20% · With luck
Gray-breasted Crake
LC

Gray-breasted Crake

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Laterallus exilis

<5% · Rare
Grey-winged Trumpeter
LC

Grey-winged Trumpeter

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Psophia crepitans

<5% · Rare
Gray-cowled Wood-Rail

Gray-cowled Wood-Rail

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Aramides cajanea

<5% · Rare
American Purple Gallinule

American Purple Gallinule

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Porphyrio martinica

<5% · Rare
Azure Gallinule
LC

Azure Gallinule

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Porphyrio flavirostris

<5% · Rare
Rufous-sided Crake
LC

Rufous-sided Crake

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Laterallus melanophaius

<5% · Rare
🐦 No photo available

Chestnut-headed Crake

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Anurolimnas castaneiceps

<5% · Rare
Uniform Crake
LC

Uniform Crake

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Amaurolimnas concolor

Insufficient data
Blackish Rail
LC

Blackish Rail

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Pardirallus nigricans

Insufficient data

📅 Monthly Probability

5–10
Jan
<5
Feb
<5
Mar
<5
Apr
5–10
May
10–20
Jun
10–20
Jul
30–40
Aug
40–50
Sep
30–40
Oct
20–30
Nov
10–20
Dec

☀️ When They're Spotted

Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · across all parks (global)

☀️Diurnal
☀️🌙🌙12am6am12pm6pm12am

Global Distribution

Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.

where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is)  ·  parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Probability
1 Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve 🇪🇨 Ecuador
20–30%
2 Yasuní National Park 🇪🇨 Ecuador
10–20%
3 Anavilhanas National Park 🇧🇷 Brazil
10–20%
4 Tortuguero National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
5–10%
5 Amacayacu National Natural Park 🇨🇴 Colombia
5–10%
6 Tambopata National Reserve 🇵🇪 Peru
5–10%
7 Manu National Park 🇵🇪 Peru
<5%
8 Montes Azules Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
<5%
9 Madidi National Park 🇧🇴 Bolivia
<5%
10 Parque Estadual Encontro das Águas 🇧🇷 Brazil
<5%
11 Calakmul Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
<5%
12 Sierra de la Macarena National Park 🇨🇴 Colombia
<5%
13 Arenal Volcano National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
14 Iguaçu National Park 🇧🇷 Brazil
<5%
15 Braulio Carrillo National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
16 Noel Kempff Mercado National Park 🇧🇴 Bolivia
Insufficient data
17 Pico Bonito National Park 🇭🇳 Honduras
Insufficient data
18 Corcovado National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
Insufficient data
19 Soberanía National Park 🇵🇦 Panama
Insufficient data
20 Iguazú National Park 🇦🇷 Argentina
Insufficient data

Quick answers

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

About 17% of wildlife watchers report a Sungrebe sighting in Yasuní National Park, based on 555 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Sungrebe in Yasuní National Park?

September has the highest sighting rate for Sungrebe in Yasuní National Park in our monthly data.

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