BREEDING BIOLOGY OF THE CHUBUT STEAMERDUCK (TACHYERES LEUCOCEPHALUS)

AGUERO, LAURA; GARCÍA BORBOROGLU, PABLO

ORNITOLOGIA NEOTROPICAL

NEOTROPICAL ORNITHOLOGICAL SOC

Lugar: ALEMANIA; Año: 2013 vol. 24 p. 85 - 93

1075-4377

The Chubut Steamerduck (Tachyeres leucocephalus) is a flightless duck endemic to the marine coast of Chubut Province and is the most recently described in the genus. Very little about their behaviour and breeding biology is detailed; most of the available information is about other species in the genus. We collected observational details on courtship, territorial behaviour and nesting habitat during 5 breeding seasons in an opportunistic way during other studies. The Chubut Steamerduck has been recently listed as “Vulnerable” on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species based on its restricted distribution range and reduced population size. Additionally, this species lives in areas that have very difficult access and where there are many logistical difficulties with regard to collecting any data. Given the poor current knowledge of this species and the Plans for coastal development in its main breeding area, there is a need to count valuable information. In particular, this study contributes to increase the knowledge on the previously unknown life history features of this flightless waterfowl species, mainly referring to its behaviour and breeding biology.