Rosybill duck (Meta peposaca)
Personal Information
Our female rosybill duck was born here at the Zoo in 2001.
Status in the Wild
International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) status: Unlisted.
Habitat
These birds can be found in Central Chile, south to Chiloe Island, east across Argentina to Paraguay, Uruguay and Northern Patagonia. They are usually found in lake areas with dense vegetation.
Diet
They feed mainly on water plants.
- The rosybill duck is named for its distinctive red bill in males. Females have a slate-colored bill.
- Though classified as a diving duck, it feeds more like a dabbling duck (which feed at the surface).
- This duck migrates in the winter, from Southern Argentina through Northern Brazil.