Common Name: Torrent Duck
Scientific Name: Merganetta armata

Distribution: Inhabits fast-flowing rivers and streams in the Andean mountain range, from western Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, and northern Peru south to central Chile.

Biology: The Torrent Duck is, as its name suggest, a river specialist having adapted to a lifestyle in the fast-flowing waterways of the Andes. Here, these amazing waterfowl search for insects and other invertebrates under rocks and in crevices in the cold water, where the ducks are capable of maneuvering through even the strongest of currents.
The mates, which are highly sexually dimorphic as seen in the photos, stick together throughout the year, and will also stay in the same vicinity through the seasons.

IUCN Conservation Status: Least Concern
The Torrent Duck has a wide distribution throughout the Andes where suitable habitat is available, and the population is still estimated to be large, despite some decrease over the last couple of generations. The species is, however, dependent on clean water, and thus pollution from human activities, including agriculture and other exploration of land, as well as accidental oil leaks into the river habitats, understandably pose a threat to the species.