Plate 008 · a pair on a rushing river IdentificationSix marks on the plate
- 1White head with black lines in the male: crown, eye-line and nape.
- 2Red bill in both sexes.
- 3Dark streaked breast of the male of this subspecies.
- 4Long scapulars black with buff stripes.
- 5Long stiff tail braced against rocks.
- 6Female: grey head and rufous throat and breast.
Easily confused with Yellow-billed TealAnas flavirostrisBrown with a yellow bill. Prefers still water. 008 / 100 · BIRDS · ANATIDAELEAST CONCERN Torrent Duck
Merganetta armata
Pato de torrente · Torrent Duck
A duck that lives in the rapids. It swims against the current, dives under whitewater and climbs slippery boulders with strong feet and a stiff tail. In Tucumán it lives on mountain rivers such as the Los Sosa and those of the Aconquija.
- Length
- c. 40 cm
- Subspecies
- M. a. berlepschi in the northwest
- Clutch
- 3 – 4 eggs
- Global population
- 13,300 – 23,500 adults
- Torrential rivers
- Diver
- Stable pairs
- Clean-water indicator
Altitude rangeWhere the river runs fast
Mountain rivers In the northwest it lives on fast, clear rivers with large boulders, from montane forest up to the high grasslands. It depends on the river reach, not on the type of forest.
FoodBeneath the whitewater
- Aquatic larvaestoneflies, mayflies, caddisflies
- Molluscssmall river snails
- Insectson the rocks
It pries larvae from between bed stones with its narrow, flexible bill.
BehaviourBuilt for the torrent
- Swims upstream. Uses its stiff tail as rudder and prop in the rapids.
- Paired all year. Each pair defends its own reach of river.
- Hidden nest. Nests in crevices or under overhanging rocks by the water.
Where to look in Tucumán- Río Los Sosa
- PN Aconquija
- Tafí del Valle (RP 307)
- Cuesta del Clavillo