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Project Noah Nature School
Tachyeres patachonicus
Spotted this family of Flying Steamer-Ducks swimming in the Beagle Channel in Ushuaia, Argentina. There were about 4 ducklings resting on a rock. It was amazing to see the little ducklings diving for food in the water.
Beagle Channel in Ushuaia, Argentina.
The Flying Steamer-Duck is a large duck of southern Chile and Argentina and is the only member of the steamer-ducks to occur on fresh water as well as salt water (others are restricted to the coasts). Though difficult to separate at a distance from other steamer-ducks, the species can be identified by longer projection of primaries beyond the tertials, smaller size than the flightless species, and the ability to fly. They are usually found in pairs, diving for shellfish and other marine animals along the immediate shoreline. Birders familiar with North America waterfowl might be struck at the structural and behavior similarities between steamer-ducks and eiders. Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Neotropical Birds http://neotropical.birds.cornell.edu/por...
Spotted on Jan 23, 2015
Submitted on Feb 7, 2015
1 Comment
Cool spotting - it appears to be the first for this species on Project Noah - congratulations!