| Sheldgoose | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Ruddy-headed goose, Chloephaga rubidiceps | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Anseriformes |
| Family: | Anatidae |
| Subfamily: | Tadorninae |
| Genus: | Chloephaga Eyton, 1838 |
| Type species | |
| Anas magellanica [1] = Anas leucoptera Gmelin, JF 1789 | |
| Species | |
Chloephaga is a genus of sheldgeese in the family Anatidae. Other sheldgeese are found in the genera Alopochen and Neochen .
The genus Chloephaga was introduced in 1838 by the English naturalist Thomas Campbell Eyton in his A Monograph on the Anatidae, or Duck Tribe. [2] He designated the type species as Chloephaga magellanica. This is Anas magellanica Gmelin, JF 1789, which is a synonym of Anas leucoptera Gmelin, JF 1789. Anas leucoptera is now considered as a subspecies of the upland goose Chloephaga picta leucoptera. [3] The genus name comes from the combination of the Ancient Greek khloē meaning "grass" with -phagos meaning "-eating". [4]
A molecular phylogenetic study by Mariana Bulgarella and collaborators published in 2014 found that the Orinoco goose in the monotypic genus Neochem, was embedded in the genus Chloephaga: [5]
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Based on this result, some authorities place the Orinoco goose together with the Andean goose in the resurrected genus Oressochen. [6] [7] [8]
A fossilized partial coracoid (CTES-PZ 7797) of an indeterminate Chloephaga species sharing some characters with the extant upland goose is known from the upper Pleistocene Toropí Formation (also called the Yupoí Formation) in Corrientes Province, Argentina, 700 kilometers further north than the northernmost present-day record of the genus. [9]
The genus contains five species. [10]
| Image | Scientific name | Common name | Distribution |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Chloephaga melanoptera | Andean goose | Peru to south Chile and Argentina |
 | Chloephaga picta | Upland goose or Magellan goose | southernmost South America |
 | Chloephaga hybrida | Kelp goose | Chile's southern half to the eastern tip of Tierra del Fuego and the Falkland Islands |
 | Chloephaga poliocephala | Ashy-headed goose | southernmost South America |
 | Chloephaga rubidiceps | Ruddy-headed goose | Tierra del Fuego, Chile and the Falkland Islands and southern Argentina |
A goose is a bird of any of several waterfowl species in the family Anatidae. This group comprises the genera Anser and Branta. Some other birds, mostly related to the shelducks, have "goose" as part of their names. More distantly related members of the family Anatidae are swans, most of which are larger than true geese, and ducks, which are smaller.
Anseriformes is an order of birds also known as waterfowl that comprises about 180 living species of birds in three families: Anhimidae, Anseranatidae, and Anatidae, the largest family, which includes over 170 species of waterfowl, among them the ducks, geese, and swans. Most modern species in the order are highly adapted for an aquatic existence at the water surface. With the exception of screamers, males have penises, a trait that has been lost in the Neoaves. Due to their aquatic nature, most species are web-footed.
The Tadorninae is the shelduck-sheldgoose subfamily of the Anatidae, the biological family that includes the ducks and most duck-like waterfowl such as the geese and swans.
The Andean goose is a species of waterfowl in tribe Tadornini of subfamily Anserinae. It is found in Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, and Peru.
The cotton pygmy goose or cotton teal is a small perching duck which breeds in Asia, Southeast Asia extending south and east to Queensland where they are sometimes called white-quilled pygmy goose. They are among the smallest waterfowl in the world and are found in small to large waterbodies with good aquatic vegetation. They are usually seen in pairs or larger groups of pairs, roosting and nesting on trees near water. They are strong fliers and are known to disperse widely, especially in winter. Their breeding season coincides with the rains.
The ashy-headed goose is a species of waterfowl in tribe Tadornini of subfamily Anserinae. It is found in Argentina and Chile.
The Orinoco goose is a Near Threatened species of waterfowl in tribe Tadornini of subfamily Anserinae. It is found in every mainland South American country except Chile, French Guiana, Suriname, and Uruguay.
The Guianan trogon, is a near passerine bird in the trogon and quetzal family Trogonidae. It is found in Brazil, French Guiana, Guyana, Suriname, Trinidad, and Venezuela.
The South African shelduck or Cape shelduck is a species of shelduck, a group of large goose-like birds which are part of the bird family Anatidae, which also includes the swans, geese and ducks. This is a common species native to southern Africa.
The upland goose or Magellan goose is a sheldgoose of the shelduck-sheldgoose subfamily of the Anatidae, the biological family that includes the ducks and most duck-like waterfowl such as the geese and swans. Sheldgeese resemble true geese and display similar habits, yet they are more closely related to shelducks and ducks. The two recognized subspecies of upland goose are the continental picta subspecies and the insular (island) leucoptera subspecies.
The yellow-billed pintail is a South American dabbling duck of the genus Anas with three described subspecies.
The plumbeous kite is a bird of prey in the family Accipitridae that is resident in much of northern South America. It is migratory in the northern part of its range which extends north to Mexico. It feeds on insects which it catches either from a perch or while in flight.
The copper-rumped hummingbird is a species of hummingbird in the "emeralds", tribe Trochilini of subfamily Trochilinae. It is found in Tobago, Trinidad, Venezuela, and possibly Grenada.
The white-chested puffbird is a species of bird in the family Bucconidae, the puffbirds, nunlets, and nunbirds. It is one of seven species in the genus Malacoptila. It is found in Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Peru, Suriname and Venezuela.
The Costa Rican pygmy owl is a small "typical owl" in subfamily Surniinae. It is found in Costa Rica and Panama.
The dark-winged trumpeter is a species of bird in the family Psophiidae. It is endemic to Brazil.
The northern potoo is a nocturnal bird belonging to the potoo family, Nyctibiidae. It is found from Mexico south to Costa Rica, and on the islands of Jamaica and Hispaniola. It was formerly classified as a subspecies of the common potoo but is now usually treated as a separate species based on differences in vocalizations.
Data related to Chloephaga at Wikispecies
Media related to Chloephaga at Wikimedia Commons
