Steamer Duck

MayberryMayberry Regular
edited January 2011 in Life
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Steamer ducks are heavy-bodied sea ducks with big bills that live in the southernmost portion of South America and in the Falkland Islands. There are four species, three of which cannot fly (Tachyeres pteneres, Tachyeres leucocephalus, and Tachyeres brachypterus), and one that can fly (Tachyeres patachonicus) but rarely does. Their name comes from their behaviour in the water: to swim fast, they use their wings to paddle along with their feet in a steamboat-like action. These ducks eat a variety of food, from insects to small fish, to plants, but feast mainly on shellfish and other marine invertebrates. Nests are built behind shorelines and male-female pairs aggressively defend their territory.

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