![]() ![]() 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. ![]() Courtship also includes vocal communication between males and females. They will repetitively bow, rapidly flap their wings and kick up water with their legs. During courtship, male torrent ducks use distinct postures as part of courtship. Male torrent ducks are adorned with elaborately patterned plumage to attract females. ( "Duck", 1985 "Torrent Duck", 2003 "Torrent Duck:Merganetta armata", 1990 Baldassarre and Bolen, 1994 Howard and Moore, 1991 Humphrey, et al., 1970 Johnsgard, 1965 Johnsgard, 1968 Koepcke, 1970 Merne, 1974 Todd, 1996) 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. The wings are black with smaller spurs than males and the tail is white with black stripes. The body of females is mostly black with gray lined feathers and a cinnamon red under body. Female torrent ducks have a gray head and neck. ![]() 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. They also have a dark under body with dark and green iridescent wings with spurs used for fighting. Males have a white head and neck with a black stripe across the eye and down the back. 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. ( Koepcke, 1970 "Merganetta armata Merganetta armata", 1990 "Torrent Duck", 2003 "Torrent Duck:Merganetta armata", 1990 Koepcke, 1970 Todd, 1996) Water that flows from the ice capped mountains runs off creating waterfalls and rivers, where torrent ducks live and thrive. 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. ( "Duck", 1985 "Merganetta armata Merganetta armata", 1990 "Torrent Duck:Merganetta armata", 1990 Howard and Moore, 1991) They can also be found along the west coasts of Venezuela, Ecuador, Chile, Peru, Bolivia and Argentina. Torrent ducks are native to the mountains of Colombia and the Santa Marta mountains of the Andes. ![]()
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