Flying Steamer Duck vs Fuegian Steamer Duck

Flying Steamer Duck

Tachyeres patachonicus

Huge2.8 kgMarine

Though they are the smallest of the four Tachyeres species, flying steamer ducks share similar plumage traits with other steamer ducks including female brown head and neck feathers with white stripes stretching from their eyes to the napes of their necks, and brown-gray gradient body feathers. Their underbellies are mostly white, and their feet are orange. Female flying steamer ducks have smaller bills relative to males that are orange with black tips, while males have darker gray bills with slight yellow accents.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Hugo Hulsberg · CC0

Fuegian Steamer Duck

Tachyeres pteneres

Huge4.7 kgMarine

This is the largest of the steamer duck species. It is a massively built waterfowl at 3.5–7 kg (7.7–15.4 lb) and 65–84 cm (26–33 in) in length, with the males noticeably larger than the females. Males weigh an average of 5.34 kg (11.8 lb) while females weigh around 4.2 kg (9.3 lb) on average. The wingspan is 85–110 cm (33–43 in), the wings being too small to functionally allow the birds to take flight. Instead, the wings are used like paddles to help skim rapidly across the surface of the water.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Christoph Moning · CC BY 4.0

Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Flying Steamer Duck and Fuegian Steamer Duck.