The Orinoco Goose Orinoco (Neochen jubatus, Oressochen jubatus), popularly called jungle goose, waddling duck, roncador or huanana is an anseriform bird noted for its small beak and long neck and legs.
Features
Its plumage is grayish white on the belly; the back, tail and wings are black. It has a length between 55 and 60 cm.
Felix Uribe / CC BY-SA
It is found in all tropical and subtropical areas of South America, east of the Andes, from Venezuela to Argentina and southern Brazil, mostly in the Amazon basin regions.
Orinoco Goose feeding, behavior and reproduction
It prefers the humid environments of small rivers, forests and islets. It feeds on crustaceans, aquatic plants and insects.
SandyCole / CC BY-SA
They usually travel in pairs and small groups, the mother-father families and small ducks form groups of no more than 20 individuals.
They nest in tree holes, the mother is in charge of hatching for about 30 days, as well as caring for the young until they form their own family nucleus.
It is a little known and protected bird. Its density is low, so it is considered to be in danger of extinction since its meat is prized by hunters.
Dr. Rafael Cartay is a Venezuelan economist, historian, and writer best known for his extensive work in gastronomy, and has received the National Nutrition Award, Gourmand World Cookbook Award, Best Kitchen Dictionary, and The Great Gold Fork. He began his research on the Amazon in 2014 and lived in Iquitos during 2015, where he wrote The Peruvian Amazon Table (2016), the Dictionary of Food and Cuisine of the Amazon Basin (2020), and the online portal delAmazonas.com, of which he is co-founder and main writer. Books by Rafael Cartay can be found on Amazon.com
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