It is a medium-sized duck with a slender build and elegant posture, showing finely mottled grayish-brown plumage that provides effective camouflage. The head and neck are paler with delicate streaking, while the back is darker. Its most distinctive feature is the bright yellow bill with a black tip, making it easily recognizable. The wings display a green iridescent speculum, bordered in white, visible in flight or while swimming, and the legs are grayish to yellowish.
Geographic distribution: It is widely distributed throughout South America, from southern Peru and Bolivia to southern Chile and Argentina, including Uruguay, Paraguay, southern Brazil, and the Falkland Islands. It inhabits both temperate and cold regions, showing considerable climatic adaptability.
Habitat: It occupies a wide range of freshwater and coastal wetland habitats, including lakes, marshes, lagoons, slow-flowing rivers, reservoirs, and flooded grasslands. It favors shallow waters with emergent vegetation but also uses open areas near water bodies.
Feeding: It has an omnivorous diet with a strong plant component, feeding on seeds, shoots, leaves, and roots of aquatic plants. It also consumes small invertebrates, insects, crustaceans, and occasionally mollusks. Feeding is mainly done by dabbling and filtering water.
Behavior: This is a generally calm and social species, usually seen in pairs or small groups, though larger flocks may form outside the breeding season. It is an efficient swimmer and agile flier, capable of rapid takeoff when disturbed. Vocalizations are soft and nasal, especially during courtship.
Nesting: Nesting occurs on the ground, with the nest well concealed among dense vegetation, usually close to water. The clutch typically includes 6 to 10 eggs, incubated solely by the female, while the male remains nearby during early stages. The chicks are precocial and leave the nest shortly after hatching.
Conservation status: It is classified as Least Concern, with stable populations and a broad range. However, wetland modification and localized hunting pressure may affect some populations.
Author of this compilation: EcoRegistros – 22/12/2025