WATERFOWL of South America
The order Anseriformes contains about 150 living species of birds in three families: the Anhimidae (the screamers), Anseranatidae (the Magpie Goose), and the Anatidae, which includes over 140 species of waterfowl, among them the ducks, geese, and swans. All species in the order are web-footed for efficient swimming and have a large wide bill with a specialized tongue that allows water to be sucked in the front of the bill. An array of plates traps food particles as the water is expelled out the sides of the bill. Not all species feed this way, some graze on plants and some also catch fish. [abstracted from Wikipedia]
Sheldgeese and Shelducks
Order Anseriformes Family Anatidae SubFamily Tadorninae
Tadorninae is the shelduck-sheldgoose subfamily of family Anatidae. This group is largely tropical or Southern Hemisphere in distribution, with only two species, the Common Shelduck and the Ruddy Shelduck breeding in northern temperate regions. The Tadorninae are somewhat intermediate between geese and dabbling ducks.
Shelgeese
Genus Chloephaga
Goose, Andean Chloephaga melanoptera Found:South America
Photographed by: 1) BS Thurner Hof 2) Dick Daniels - Sylvan Heights 3) Dick - Sylvan Heights 4) Sandy - Sylvan Heights
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Goose, Ashy-headed Chloephaga poliocephala Found: South America
Photographed by: 1) Dick Daniels - Sylvan Heights 2) Dick - Sylvan Heights 3) Sandy - Sylvan Heights
Goose, Ruddy-headed Chloephaga rubidiceps Found: South America
Photographed by: 1) Dick Daniels - Sylvan Heights 2) Dick - Sylvan Heights
Goose, Kelp Chloephaga hybrida Found: South America
Photographed by: 1) dFaulder - Argentina 2) Charlie Westerinen - Ushuaia Harbor, Argentina
1) Male 2) Female, male
Goose, Magellan aka Upland Goose Chloephaga picta Found: South America
Photographed by: 1) Fabienkhan - Argentina 2) Chris Pearson - Falkland 3) Frank Vassen 4) Rodrigo Schulz - Chile
1) Pair 2) Male 3, 4) Female
Genus Neochen - 1 species
Goose, Orinoco Neochen jubata Found: South America
The only member of the Genus Neochen and is in the shelduck subfamily Tadorninae
Photographed by: 1) Dick Daniels - Sylvan Heights 2) Dick - Sylvan Heights 3_ Dick - Jacksonville Zoo
Shelducks
Genus Cairina
This genus formerly included the white-winged duck, but DNA evidence implies it is only distantly related to muscovy ducks. Muscovy ducks seem to be more related to those in the Aix genus and are thus listed here on the shelduck web page.
Duck, Muscovy Cairina moschata Found: North America (feral), Central and South America,
Photographed by: 1) Sandy Cole - Sylvan Heights 2) Dick - Sylvan Heights 3) Dick - Sylvan Heights
4) Dick Daniels - Jamaica 5) Dick - Florida 6) Dick - California
1, 2, 3) Natural Muscovy Ducks 4, 5, 6) Feral Muscovy Ducks
All photos on this site are available for general use. Please credit the photographer. Some images have additional constraints such as no commercial use or no modifications. Click the photo credit link for details. Dick Daniels, webmaster.