Torrent Duck
Merganetta armata Gould, 1842
399 gWeight
The torrent duck (Merganetta armata) is a member of the duck, goose and swan family Anatidae.
Busiest months: February and November · Most records: Ecuador, Colombia, Peru
Where and when it's recorded
Busiest months: February and November · Most records: Ecuador, Colombia, Peru
Torrent Duck has been recorded at 109 of the 8,276 birding hotspots we track, in 6 countries and regions.
Records by month Southern Hemisphere
Where it's recorded most
- Guango LodgeEcuador2,293 records
- SFF Otún QuimbayaColombia664 records
- Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo HotelPeru455 records
More places
- Machu Picchu Pueblo/Aguas Calientes (Valqui B3.3)Peru452 records
- Río Quijos EcoLodgeEcuador403 records
- Ukuku Rural LodgeColombia203 records
- Santuario Historico Machu Picchu – Machu Picchu Ruinas (Valqui B3.2)Peru202 records
- SFF Otún Quimbaya – LodgeColombia199 records
- Maquipucuna LodgeEcuador168 records
- Cabañas San IsidroEcuador149 records
Countries and regions with the most records
eBird records via GBIF up to 2024-12-31. A record means someone listed it; more records partly mean more birders, not more birds.
About
The torrent duck (Merganetta armata) is a member of the duck, goose and swan family Anatidae. It is the only member of the genus Merganetta. It is placed in the shelduck subfamily Tadorninae after the "perching duck" assemblage to which it was formerly assigned was dissolved because it turned out to be paraphyletic.
Excerpt from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 · authors · Read more on Wikipedia
Questions
How big is the Torrent Duck?
The Torrent Duck weighs around 399 g.
Where does the Torrent Duck live?
Its breeding range: South America: Venezuela to central Chile and western Argentina. It is most often recorded in Ecuador, Colombia and Peru.
When is the best time to see the Torrent Duck?
At the hotspots we track, it is recorded most in February and November (Southern Hemisphere).
Is the Torrent Duck endangered?
The IUCN Red List classifies the Torrent Duck as Least Concern.
What does the Torrent Duck eat?
Main food: Fish, shrimp & shellfish.
What family is the Torrent Duck in?
It belongs to the family Ducks, Geese, Swans (Anatidae), order Anseriformes.
At a glance
- Weight
- 399 g
- Habitat
- Rivers & streams
- Diet
- Fish, shrimp & shellfish
- Lifestyle
- On the water surface
- Migration
- Resident (barely migrates)
- Conservation
- Least Concern
More measurements
- Wing
- 163 mm
- Tail
- 111 mm
- Bill
- 34 mm
- Tarsus
- 36 mm
Averages from the AVONET dataset; length from field guides where available.
Range
South America: Venezuela to central Chile and western Argentina
Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2
Classification
- Order
- Anseriformes
- Family
- Ducks, Geese, Swans Anatidae
- Genus
- Merganetta
More from the family Ducks, Geese, Swans
White-faced Whistling DuckDendrocygna viduata
Black-bellied Whistling DuckDendrocygna autumnalis
Spotted Whistling DuckDendrocygna guttata
West Indian Whistling DuckDendrocygna arborea
Fulvous Whistling DuckDendrocygna bicolor
Plumed Whistling DuckDendrocygna eytoni
Wandering Whistling DuckDendrocygna arcuata
Lesser Whistling DuckDendrocygna javanica
White-backed DuckThalassornis leuconotus
Cape Barren GooseCereopsis novaehollandiae
Download illustration
Free to use with credit: “Illustration: Bird Album (birdalbum.com)”. Drawn by AI from a reference photo by Sebastián Lescano. ↗
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