Andean Goose
Encyclopedia
The Andean Goose, Chloephaga melanoptera, is a member of the duck
, goose
and swan
family Anatidae. It is in the shelduck subfamily Tadorninae
.
It is resident around lakes and marshes in the high Andes
, usually well above 3000 m. It is largely terrestrial and avoids swimming except in emergencies.
This heavily built bird
has a tiny pink bill and white plumage except for black in the wings and tail. The female is similar to the male, but is smaller.
The Andean Goose is a grazing species, eating grasses. It nests on the ground in a bare scrape near water, laying 6-10 eggs. It is territorial in the breeding season, but otherwise forms small flocks.
Duck
Duck is the common name for a large number of species in the Anatidae family of birds, which also includes swans and geese. The ducks are divided among several subfamilies in the Anatidae family; they do not represent a monophyletic group but a form taxon, since swans and geese are not considered...
, goose
Goose
The word goose is the English name for a group of waterfowl, belonging to the family Anatidae. This family also includes swans, most of which are larger than true geese, and ducks, which are smaller....
and swan
Swan
Swans, genus Cygnus, are birds of the family Anatidae, which also includes geese and ducks. Swans are grouped with the closely related geese in the subfamily Anserinae where they form the tribe Cygnini. Sometimes, they are considered a distinct subfamily, Cygninae...
family Anatidae. It is in the shelduck subfamily Tadorninae
Tadorninae
The Tadorninae is the shelduck-sheldgoose subfamily of the Anatidae, the biological family that includes the ducks and most duck-like waterfowl such as the geese and swans....
.
It is resident around lakes and marshes in the high Andes
Fauna of the Andes
The fauna of the Andes is large and diverse. As well as a huge variety of flora the Andes contain many different animal species. The Llama can be found living at high altitudes, predominantly in Peru and Bolivia. The Alpaca, a type of Llama, is raised for its wool. The nocturnal Chinchilla, an...
, usually well above 3000 m. It is largely terrestrial and avoids swimming except in emergencies.
This heavily built bird
Bird
Birds are feathered, winged, bipedal, endothermic , egg-laying, vertebrate animals. Around 10,000 living species and 188 families makes them the most speciose class of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from...
has a tiny pink bill and white plumage except for black in the wings and tail. The female is similar to the male, but is smaller.
The Andean Goose is a grazing species, eating grasses. It nests on the ground in a bare scrape near water, laying 6-10 eggs. It is territorial in the breeding season, but otherwise forms small flocks.