Orinoco Goose

This 61-76 cm long species is a resident breeder in the forests of tropical South America. Its preference is forest lakes or marshes with access to open woodland or savanna.

The Orinoco Goose is classified as Near Threatened (NT), is close to qualifying for or is likely to qualify for a threatened category in the near future.

The Orinoco Goose (Neochen jubata ) is a member of the duck, goose and swan family Anatidae. It is in the shelduck subfamily Tadorninae, and is the only living member of the genus Neochen. Two fossil relatives have been described from Late Pleistocene sites: Neochen pugil and Neochen debilis of Brazil and Argentina, respectively. This 61-76 cm (24-30 inch) long species is a resident breeder in the forests of tropical South America. More

Images previous Orinoco goose imageOrinoco geese in water © Jean-Louis Le Moigne / www.nhpa.co. More

The Orinoco Goose is a very territorial species in the breeding season, and usually nests in hollow trees, only occasionally on the ground. Calling / Vocalizations The male has a high pitched whistling call, and the female cackles like the related Egyptian Goose. References * BirdLife International (2006). Neochen jubata. 2006. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. www.iucnredlist.org. More

Aspects of the topic Orinoco goose are discussed in the following places at Britannica. Assorted References * species of sheldgoose (in sheldgoose (bird)) ...of Chloëphaga—the kelp goose (C. hybrida), the Magellan goose (C. picta), and the Andean goose (C. melanoptera)—and the Orinoco goose (Neochen jubatus). African sheldgeese include the spur-winged goose (... More

The Orinoco Goose is currently classified as Near Threatened, almost meeting criteria A1c,d; A2c,d, (declines approaching 30% in 10 years or three generations). Ken Kriese has posted the following comments: "I am a PhD student in Ecology at the University of California, Davis. My research has focused on the reproductive ecology of the Orinoco goose in the llanos of Venezuela. As part of my thesis, I am including a review of the population of this species. More

Habitat: The Orinoco Goose is a resident of the South American topics east of the Andes and south to northern Argentina, they are partial to dense, lowland, jungle-lined rivers, streams and other wetlands in open grasslands with scattered trees, particularly the llanos. Personality: These birds are very comfortable ashore, they run in a distinct manner, and frequently perch in trees. Pairs become very unsociable and increasingly aggressive at the onset of the breeding season (January in Colombia and Venezuela). More