Merganetta armata has at least six subspecies, they differ only in their coloration and distribution. The subspecies include: M. a. colombiana, M. a. leucogenis, M. a. turneris, M. a. garleppi, and M. a. berlepschi, all of which are found along the Andean cordillera. Merganetta armata armata, however, inhabits the largest range.
Male and female torrent ducks differ in the type of sounds they make. To communicate, the male call is a high pitched whistle in one single tone, which can be heard over the turbulent river water. The female has a deeper, booming call, much like a squabble or quacking. Male and female ducks usually communicate to their mate and with their young, and as a territorial warning signal to either neighbors or intruders. A whistling noise is also created by these ducks when they are taking off or landing.
Communication Channels: visual ; tactile ; acoustic
Perception Channels: visual ; tactile ; acoustic ; chemical
Torrent ducks have a fairly stable population and tend to inhabit large areas of inaccessible terrain that acts as natural protection. However, torrent ducks are sensitive to habitat changes such as pollution, pesticide contamination hydroelectric dam construction, and introduced species of trout (Salmo trutta, Salvelinus fontinalis, Oncorhynchus mykiss, and other Salmo and Oncorhynchus species) that compete for food. Torrent ducks once inhabited Isla Grande but no longer do, due to predation by humans.
US Migratory Bird Act: no special status
US Federal List: no special status
CITES: no special status
State of Michigan List: no special status
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: least concern
There are no negative effects of torrent ducks on humans.
Torrent ducks are hunted and eaten by humans.
Positive Impacts: food ; ecotourism
Torrent ducks impact populations of invertebrate larvae through predation.
Torrent ducks use their sleek lined body to dive into fast flowing rivers to catch insect prey such as stonefly larvae, mayfly larvae, caddisfly larvae, and other larvae, small fish, mollusks, crustaceans, and other aquatic invertebrates. Torrent ducks may also wait underneath a powerful waterfall to catch prey. Torrent ducks use several techniques to bring food from different depths of the river, including kicking it up with their feet. They will also scavenge and wade in the more shallow areas of the river in eddies and underneath rocks. A wide and shallow stretch of river will produce the most abundant amount of resources for the ducks. Young ducklings are believed to have the same diet as their parents.
Animal Foods: fish; insects; mollusks; terrestrial worms; aquatic crustaceans
Primary Diet: carnivore (Insectivore , Eats non-insect arthropods)
Torrent ducks are native to the mountains of Colombia and the Santa Marta mountains of the Andes. They can also be found along the west coasts of Venezuela, Ecuador, Chile, Peru, Bolivia and Argentina.
Biogeographic Regions: neotropical (Native )
Torrent ducks live in areas of some of the most powerful and fast flowing rivers in the Andes, which are surrounded by rigid and steep mountain slopes. Water that flows from the ice capped mountains runs off creating waterfalls and rivers, where torrent ducks live and thrive.
Range elevation: 300 to 4600 m.
Habitat Regions: tropical ; freshwater
Terrestrial Biomes: mountains
Aquatic Biomes: rivers and streams
Other Habitat Features: riparian
Torrent ducks are difficult to rear in captivity. The longest living torrent duck in captivity was a single 18 year old female. Lifespan in the wild is not well understood.
Range lifespan
Status: captivity: 18 (high) years.
Torrent ducks have an aerodynamic and sleek body, extremely powerful legs, a strong tail, and durable long claws, all of which are well adapted for the turbulent habitat in which they live. Torrent ducks are sexually dimorphic. Males have a white head and neck with a black stripe across the eye and down the back. They also have a dark under body with dark and green iridescent wings with spurs used for fighting. Southern sub-species have a darker ventral side and lighter dorsal side, while northern sub-species are white on the ventral side and have a darker dorsal side. Female torrent ducks have a gray head and neck. The body of females is mostly black with gray lined feathers and a cinnamon red under body. The wings are black with smaller spurs than males and the tail is white with black stripes. Torrent ducks have a distinctive, bright red bill, which is long, narrow, soft and jagged, making it perfect for scavenging under rocks for bottom-dwelling larvae.
Range mass: 315 to 481 g.
Range length: 43 to 46 cm.
Other Physical Features: endothermic ; homoiothermic; bilateral symmetry
Sexual Dimorphism: male larger; sexes colored or patterned differently; male more colorful
Humans sometimes hunt torrent ducks. Otherwise, little is known about natural predators of torrent ducks. It is likely that most predation is on the young hatchlings once they've left the nest. Torrent ducks live in a habitat that is challenging to navigate for most animals and they construct nests in inaccessible places. It is possible that most predation on young torrent ducks is by large fish.
Known Predators:
Male torrent ducks are adorned with elaborately patterned plumage to attract females. During courtship, male torrent ducks use distinct postures as part of courtship. They will repetitively bow, rapidly flap their wings and kick up water with their legs. Courtship also includes vocal communication between males and females. It is common for a male and female bird to swim around each other, rising out of the water and snapping at one another during courtship. Once a partner is found, the two torrent ducks are monogamous for life.
Mating System: monogamous
Depending on the sub-species, the reproductive cycles of torrent ducks vary. In the Colombian species (M. armata colombiana) eggs are laid as early as February, whereas the Ecuadorian subspecies (M. armata leucogenis) lay their eggs in April, and the rest of the southern subspecies lay their eggs in late September and early October. Nests are well hidden and created in deep crevices alongside rivers, in anything from a hollow tree to an abandoned cave. Nests can be anywhere between nine and sixty feet on a cliff above the river. The white eggs are large in proportion to females; the clutch can weigh up to half the body weight of the mother duck. The long incubation period is essential to ensure development for young ducklings to be able to swim and survive the harsh waters of their environment.
Breeding interval: Torrent ducks breed once yearly.
Breeding season: Torrent ducks breed from February to October, depending on geographical location.
Range eggs per season: 2 to 5.
Average eggs per season: 3.
Average time to hatching: 43.5 days.
Average age at sexual or reproductive maturity (female): 1 years.
Average age at sexual or reproductive maturity (male): 1 years.
Key Reproductive Features: iteroparous ; seasonal breeding ; gonochoric/gonochoristic/dioecious (sexes separate); sexual ; oviparous
Both male and female torrent ducks care for their offspring. Males don't incubate eggs, but females will not return to a nest for incubation unless the male is present. The male assists the female in protecting and caring for the young. Immediately after hatching, the young take on the dangerous currents of the mountain rivers in which they live. Males and females remain close to the young. Females fly down to the turbulent waters below the nest and insistently call the ducklings. Ducklings plunge from their cliff nests into the water below. It is not uncommon for the ducklings to propel off of rocks and vegetation on the side of the cliffs before reaching the bottom. They are not harmed by this, partially because they are so small (only 35 grams) and heavily wrapped in down, which slows down their fall from the nest and also cushions their landing. The parents aid the ducklings in order to guide them through the dangerous water, keeping the newly hatched ducklings between themselves and the bank. The ducklings are immediately able to swim in these fast currents. If a duckling is swept downstream by the current, both parents chase after it to save it.
Parental Investment: precocial ; pre-fertilization (Provisioning, Protecting: Female); pre-hatching/birth (Provisioning: Female, Protecting: Male, Female); pre-weaning/fledging (Provisioning: Male, Female, Protecting: Male, Female); pre-independence (Provisioning: Male, Female, Protecting: Male, Female)
The torrent duck (Merganetta armata) is a member of the duck, goose and swan family Anatidae. It is the only member of the genus Merganetta. It is placed in the shelduck subfamily Tadorninae after the "perching duck" assemblage to which it was formerly assigned was dissolved because it turned out to be paraphyletic.[2]
This 43–46-centimetre (17–18 in) long species is a resident breeder in the Andes of South America, nesting in small waterside caves and other sheltered spots. Like the blue duck, it holds territories on fast flowing mountain rivers, usually above 1,500 metres (4,900 ft). It is a powerful swimmer and diver even in white water, but is reluctant to fly more than short distances. It is not particularly wary when located.
Male torrent ducks have a striking black and white head and neck pattern and a red bill. In flight they show dark wings with a green speculum. Females of all subspecies are somewhat smaller than the drakes; they have orange underparts and throat, with the head and upperparts grey and a yellower bill. Juveniles are pale grey above and whitish below.
The male's call is a shrill whistle, while the female's is a throatier whistle.
This is a declining species due to competition for its invertebrate food from introduced trout, pollution, forest destruction, and damming of mountain rivers for hydroelectric schemes. The Chilean population seems to be relatively stable, while the more northern ones are more seriously affected. However, the overall population is still large enough to warrant classification as a Species of Least Concern in the IUCN Redlist.
The subspecies taxonomy can be confusing. Males of the southern nominate subspecies M. a. armata, the Chilean torrent duck, have grey back and blackish underparts, with a chestnut belly. Males of the slightly smaller northern subspecies, the Colombian torrent duck, M. a. colombiana, are paler underneath, with streaked grey-brown underparts. Males of a third subspecies, the Peruvian torrent duck, M. a. leucogenis, are intermediate but very variable in plumage; some have entirely black underparts (turneri morph). Only males of the Chilean torrent duck have a black 'teardrop' mark beneath the eye. The Peruvian torrent duck is sometimes split into 4 subspecies (leucogenis, turneri, garleppi and berlepschi), but these are more likely simply color variations, as they are not limited to distinct areas.
Juvenile (left) and female Peruvian torrent duck on the Urubamba River, Peru
Male Peruvian torrent duck on the rocky banks of the Urubamba River, Peru
Male (top) and female Peruvian torrent duck, turneri morph
Male Chilean torrent duck near Fitz Roy, Argentina
Female Chilean torrent duck near Fitz Roy, Argentina
Data related to Torrent Duck at Wikispecies 
Media related to Torrent Duck at Wikimedia Commons
The torrent duck (Merganetta armata) is a member of the duck, goose and swan family Anatidae. It is the only member of the genus Merganetta. It is placed in the shelduck subfamily Tadorninae after the "perching duck" assemblage to which it was formerly assigned was dissolved because it turned out to be paraphyletic.
This 43–46-centimetre (17–18 in) long species is a resident breeder in the Andes of South America, nesting in small waterside caves and other sheltered spots. Like the blue duck, it holds territories on fast flowing mountain rivers, usually above 1,500 metres (4,900 ft). It is a powerful swimmer and diver even in white water, but is reluctant to fly more than short distances. It is not particularly wary when located.
Male torrent ducks have a striking black and white head and neck pattern and a red bill. In flight they show dark wings with a green speculum. Females of all subspecies are somewhat smaller than the drakes; they have orange underparts and throat, with the head and upperparts grey and a yellower bill. Juveniles are pale grey above and whitish below.
The male's call is a shrill whistle, while the female's is a throatier whistle.
This is a declining species due to competition for its invertebrate food from introduced trout, pollution, forest destruction, and damming of mountain rivers for hydroelectric schemes. The Chilean population seems to be relatively stable, while the more northern ones are more seriously affected. However, the overall population is still large enough to warrant classification as a Species of Least Concern in the IUCN Redlist.
