The Mallards - Most Popular Duck - of Argentina

I am lucky to be in Argentina for several days, so I’ll focus on Argentinian ducks for a few days.

Rosy-billed Pochards are the iconic duck of much of Argentina and highly sought after - much like Mallards are in North America.

They are technically cousins (genus Netta) of our N.A. bay ducks (genus Aythya – Canvasbacks, Redheads, Scaup and Ring-necked Ducks).

However, Rosies behave much like Mallards in preferring to surface feed and avoiding diving when possible. They even occasionally field feed and get into very large flocks.

They fly and nest over-water like Canvasbacks. Breeding is from mid-Argentina south to Patagonia, but they migration north as far as Brazil at the start of winter (now). Great birds and their vegetarian diet makes them delicious.

-Frank