Andean Duck
Oxyura ferruginea
Small, compact duck with a long, fan-shaped tail, often held sticking up out of water. Breeding males have a chestnut body, black head, and baby-blue bill. Nonbreeding males and females are variably brown overall, often with a smudgy dark face and a dark line through the cheek. Occurs in pairs or loose flocks, bobbing like corks on lakes in the Andes from central Colombia to southern Chile. Dives to forage on aquatic invertebrates. Not often seen flying.
Identification
These are small, compact ducks with stout, scoop-shaped bills, and long, stiff tails they often hold cocked upward. They have slightly peaked heads and fairly short, thick necks. In summer, they have rich chestnut bodies with bright blue bills. In winter, they are dull gray-brown above and paler below with dull gray bills. Females and first-year males are brownish, somewhat like winter males but with a blurry stripe across the pale cheek patch. It is separable from the ruddy duck by its all-black face and larger size.
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Oxyura ferruginea
- Authority
- (Eyton, 1838)
- Order
- Anseriformes
- Family
- Anatidae
- Genus
- Oxyura
Range and habitat
- Migration
- Complete migrants
Conservation
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
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Western Banded Snake-Eagle
Circaetus cinerascens
Chunky, dark brown raptor with barred underparts. Shows a single broad white band through the tail which is conspicuous in flight. Found in and around forest and thick woodland, often near water. Sits for long periods and doesn’t often soar. Generally scarce and uncommon across its range. Call is a weird, strangled “whaaat-hooooa.” Very similar to Fasciated Snake-Eagle, but doesn’t overlap in range. Somewhat similar to African Cuckoo-Hawk, but larger and chunkier, with a dark brown rather than gray head.
St. Lucia Thrasher
Ramphocinclus sanctaeluciae
A ground-feeding denizen found locally in wooded ravines and valleys with thick low vegetation. It somewhat resembles both Brown and Gray Tremblers in shape but it has bold white underparts and a dark red eye, which the tremblers lack. Like the tremblers, it tends to droop its wings, but does not often cock its tail. Most commonly heard call a long raspy note, often given in series.
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