Skip to main content

Photo: Liam Quinn from Canada / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)

Least Concern

Fuegian Steamer Duck

Tachyeres pteneres

Fuegian Steamer Duck (Tachyeres pteneres) — Ducks, Geese & Swans of South America.

Field guide · LocationsWhere to see this bird

Found across 2 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.

Regional checklists
See what's near you right now

The Fuegian Steamer Duck (Tachyeres pteneres) is a member of the Anatidae family found in South America. Adults weigh 4.7 kg. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.

LC Least Concern

Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.

Where it fits

  1. Class Aves
  2. Order Anseriformes
  3. Family Anatidae Ducks, Geese, Swans
  4. Genus Tachyeres
  5. Species pteneres

Where it lives

Coastal southern Chile and southern Argentina

Quick facts

Weight
4.7 kg
Family
Anatidae
Order
Anseriformes

How to identify

Similar birds

Biology & behaviour

Diet

The Fuegian Steamer Duck hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.

Behaviour

A bird of open sea and coastal waters, it swims and feeds in and around water.

Migration

The Fuegian Steamer Duck is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.

The Fuegian Steamer Duck (Tachyeres pteneres) belongs to the Anatidae family of the order Anseriformes. It is found across South America. Its distribution covers SA coastal s Chile and s Argentina.

It is a very large bird. Adults weighs around 4.7 kg, with a wing length of about 26.1 cm and a tail of around 9.5 cm.

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

The species has a mapped global range of roughly 328,000 km².

Songs & calls

Fuegian Steamer Duck — Alarm call, call

Recorded by Sebastián Saiter V. Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Fuegian Steamer Duck — Duet, song

Recorded by Bernabe Lopez-Lanus Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 3.0

All Fuegian Steamer Duck sounds, grouped by type →

Frequently asked questions

How big is the Fuegian Steamer Duck?

The Fuegian Steamer Duck is a very large bird that weighs around 4.7 kg.

Where does the Fuegian Steamer Duck live?

The Fuegian Steamer Duck is found across South America with a range covering SA coastal s Chile and s Argentina, where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.

What family does the Fuegian Steamer Duck belong to?

The Fuegian Steamer Duck (Tachyeres pteneres) belongs to the Anatidae family, in the order Anseriformes.

What does the Fuegian Steamer Duck eat?

The Fuegian Steamer Duck hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.

Does the Fuegian Steamer Duck migrate?

The Fuegian Steamer Duck is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.

Is the Fuegian Steamer Duck 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 Fuegian Steamer Duck make?

2 real field recordings of the Fuegian Steamer Duck — including its duet and alarm call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, each credited to the recordist who captured it.

How large is the Fuegian Steamer Duck's range?

The Fuegian Steamer Duck has a mapped global range of about 328,000 km².

Conservation

Least Concern

Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.

How to help birds

Explore more birds

More in Anatidae

More in Waterbirds

Back to top