Steamer duck
Steamer duck, (genus Tachyeres), any of four species of heavily built, big-billed sea ducks of southernmost South America and the Falkland Islands. The bird is named for its habit of running across the water with wings thrashing like a paddle-wheel steamboat. Of the four species, T. pteneres, T. brachypterus, and T. leucocephalus are flightless and a bit larger than the mallard-size flying steamer duck, T. patachonicus. Steamer ducks are classified in a tribe of their own, Tachyerini, family Anatidae (order Anseriformes).
This article was most recently revised and updated by Amy Tikkanen.
Citation Information
Article Title:
Steamer duck
Website Name:
Encyclopaedia Britannica
Publisher:
Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc.
Date Published:
12 November 2026
Access Date:
November 14, 2026