Kelp Goose

(Chloephaga hybrida)

On my way to Antarctica, I spent some time hanging around in Ushuaia, the southernmost city in South America. It was there I began to notice these two very different looking types of geese always wandering together in pairs. They mystery was soon solved when my field guide explained that these were a male and female Kelp Goose! The female is chocolate brown with delicate white bars on the underside and a pink beak, while the adult male is pure snowy white with a black beak!

They are called Kelp Geese because they spend most of their time foraging along the seashore eating green seaweeds.

 

 

Female & Male Kelp Goose in Ushuaia, Argentina.