Seaweed goose
| Seaweed goose | ||||||||||||
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Seaweed goose, male |
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| Scientific name | ||||||||||||
| Chloephaga hybrida | ||||||||||||
| ( Molina , 1782) |
The kelp goose ( Chloephaga hybrida ), also known as the kelp goose , is a member of the family of ducks (Anatidae), which includes ducks , geese and swans , and is part of the subfamily of demi-geese ( Tadorninae ). It is a sturdy, medium-sized goose and the only species in the duckfowl family in which the adult male has completely white body plumage. The females, on the other hand, resemble the female Magellan geese.
Appearance
Seaweed geese reach a body length of 55 to 65 centimeters. Males show white plumage with a black beak, a white spot around the nostrils and yellow feet. The females are dark brown on the upper side of the body, have a white ring around the eyes, gray lines across the chest and across the flanks, pink beaks and also yellow feet. Their back is brown, their belly and tail are white. The upper side of the wings of the females is white, the large arm-covers are green, the hand wings are black.
Young birds not yet sexually mature are largely similar to females, but have a white forehead. The wings are still completely dark and the transverse markings, which are so conspicuous in the female, are much less pronounced in the young birds. Male juveniles gradually change into white plumage.
Seaweed geese are adapted to their habitat in that they have relatively short legs for a half-goose species and the feet have sharp claws. This enables you to move safely even on rocks that are slippery with algae. The downy chicks already have these sharp claws.
Males that are not yet completely colored can be confused with the males of the Magellangans , because they sometimes have a predominantly white plumage with a striated underside, similar to this. Magellan geese, however, are less compact and have longer and, above all, blackish legs.
Distribution, habitat and existence
Seaweed geese live in southern Chile , on the coasts of Patagonia , Tierra del Fuego and the Falkland Islands . Their breeding area is between 50 and 42 south latitude. There they are mainly found on rocky coasts, near their eponymous main food, which consists of brown algae ( kelp ). Pasture areas and smaller lakes near the beach are very rarely visited by the seaweed geese. The preferred habitat of the kelp goose is steep and rocky coast with a pronounced tidal range. During the high tide, the geese rest on the bank. When the tide is out, they seek out the extensive fields of kelp, which are exposed with the returning water.
There are currently around 15,000 breeding pairs worldwide. The species is not considered endangered. Seaweed geese live in extremely inhospitable coastal areas, where they have relatively little contact with humans. Because of its inhospitable nature, your living space is not subject to any changes by humans. Unlike the Magellangans , the kelp goose is not seen as a food competitor by domestic animals. It is also not exposed to any hunting pressure, as the meat is perceived as not very tasty and the eggs as unpleasant tasting.
Way of life
Seaweed geese can be seen mostly in pairs or in small family groups. Only non-breeding and moulting birds also form smaller flocks that can contain up to 50 animals.
The breeding season of seaweed geese falls in the summer of the southern hemisphere. The egg-laying falls between October and November. The nests are usually found directly near the coast and are usually created directly on the edge of the cliff. Seaweed geese usually lay 2–7 eggs per clutch. The clutch is preferably hidden in tall grass to keep it hidden from predators. The nesting trough is lined with down. It only breeds the female. The male is near the nest. After about a month of breeding season, the young geese hatch.
Seaweed geese feed primarily on aquatic plants (including kelp ) and especially on algae of the genus Ulva . In order to always find this food, hikes along the coast of South America are undertaken. They also eat grass and berries during autumn.
Internal system
There are two subspecies. The nominate form Chloephaga hybrida hybrida occurs in South America. The subspecies Cloephaga hybrida malvinarum is limited in its distribution to the Falkland Islands. The males of the two subspecies are very similar. The females of the subspecies native to Falklands, however, have a wider and noticeably whiter breast. The drawing on the flanks is also lighter.
Others
There are postmarks on the Falkland Islands and Argentina showing the kelp goose.
supporting documents
literature
- Janet Kear (Ed.): Ducks, Geese and Swans. Oxford University Press, 2005, ISBN 0-19-854645-9 .
- Hartmut Kolbe; Die Entenvögel der Welt , Ulmer Verlag 1999, ISBN 3-8001-7442-1
- Hadoram Shirihai: A Complete Guide to Antarctic Wildlife - The Birds and Marine Mammals of the Antarctic Continent and Southern Ocean , Alula Press, Degerby 2002, ISBN 951-98947-0-5
- Robin and Anne Woods: Atlas of Breeding Birds of the Falkland Islands , Anthony Nelson, Shorpshire 1997, ISBN 0-904614-60-3
Web links
- Videos, photos and sound recordings of Chloephaga hybrida in the Internet Bird Collection
- Chloephaga hybrida inthe IUCN 2013 Red List of Threatened Species . Listed by: BirdLife International, 2012. Retrieved September 19, 2013.