Photo: Wikimedia Commons / Public domain (Wikimedia Commons)

Least Concern

Waterbirds

Ruddy-headed Goose

Chloephaga rubidiceps

Ruddy-headed Goose (Chloephaga rubidiceps) — Ducks, Geese & Swans of South America.

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Found across 4 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.

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The Ruddy-headed Goose (Chloephaga rubidiceps) is a member of the Anatidae family found in South America. Adults weigh 2.1 kg. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.

Conservation status

IUCN Red List

LC Least Concern

Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.

Where it fits

Class Aves
Order Anseriformes
Family Anatidae Ducks, Geese, Swans
Genus Chloephaga
Species rubidiceps

Where it lives

Southern Chile, southern Argentina and Falkland Is.

South America

Quick facts

Weight: 2.1 kg
Diet: Plant-eaters
Family: Anatidae
Order: Anseriformes
Habitat: Grassland & open country

How to identify

Similar birds

Near Threatened

Biology & behaviour

Diet

The Ruddy-headed Goose feeds mainly on plant material such as leaves, buds and shoots.

Behaviour

A bird of open grassland, it forages mainly on the ground.

Migration

The Ruddy-headed Goose is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.

The Ruddy-headed Goose (Chloephaga rubidiceps) is a species of bird in the Anatidae family, part of the order Anseriformes. It occurs naturally across South America. Its distribution covers SA s Chile, s Argentina and Falkland Is.

It is a very large bird. Adults weighs around 2.1 kg, with a wing length of about 32.6 cm and a tail of around 10.9 cm.

The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.

Its mapped global range covers an estimated 53,000 km².

Songs & calls

Ruddy-headed Goose — Call

Recorded by Andrew Spencer Licence: CC BY-NC-ND 2.5

Frequently asked questions

How big is the Ruddy-headed Goose?

The Ruddy-headed Goose is a very large bird that weighs around 2.1 kg.

Where does the Ruddy-headed Goose live?

The Ruddy-headed Goose is found across South America with a range covering SA s Chile, s Argentina and Falkland Is, where it favours open grassland, scrub and lightly vegetated country.

What family does the Ruddy-headed Goose belong to?

The Ruddy-headed Goose (Chloephaga rubidiceps) belongs to the Anatidae family, in the order Anseriformes.

What does the Ruddy-headed Goose eat?

The Ruddy-headed Goose feeds mainly on plant material such as leaves, buds and shoots.

Does the Ruddy-headed Goose migrate?

The Ruddy-headed Goose is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.

Is the Ruddy-headed Goose endangered?

The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.

What sound does the Ruddy-headed Goose make?

1 real field recording of the Ruddy-headed Goose — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.

How large is the Ruddy-headed Goose's range?

The Ruddy-headed Goose has a mapped global range of about 53,000 km².