Tachyeres – Steamer ducks

A group of large, tough, and sometimes flightless ducks found in southern South America, especially around Patagonia, Tierra del Fuego, and the Falkland Islands. These birds are named for the unique way they move across the water: instead of paddling quietly like most ducks, they often run across the surface flapping their wings — looking a lot like an old-fashioned steam-powered boat. It’s a comical yet powerful sight, and it perfectly captures their wild, rugged personality.

There are four species of steamer duck: the flightless steamer duck (Tachyeres pteneres), the Fuegian steamer duck (Tachyeres pteneres), the Magellanic steamer duck (Tachyeres patachonicus), and the Chubut steamer duck (Tachyeres leucocephalus), which is the rarest and most recently discovered. Of these, three are completely flightless, with large, heavy bodies and short wings that aren’t capable of lifting them off the ground — a rare trait among ducks. Only the Magellanic steamer duck is regularly capable of flight, but even it prefers walking or steaming over swimming or flying.

Steamer ducks are strong, aggressive, and fiercely territorial, especially during the breeding season. Males are known to fight off rivals — and even much larger animals — using their powerful wings, which are tipped with knob-like bones that act like clubs. These fights can be intense, often involving loud vocalizations, wing beating, and chasing across the water. Despite their heavy build, they are excellent swimmers and divers, foraging for mussels, crustaceans, and other aquatic invertebrates along rocky coastlines and kelp beds.