ruddy-headed goose
chloephaga rubidiceps latin

There are two populations of the Ruddy-headed Goose.

It focuses on the protection of the mainland population of the Ruddy-headed Goose.

Ruddy-headed Goose is a stocky 45-50 cm bird with a pale grey back, and black-barred rich buff underparts.

The Action Plan provides a road map to guide the implementation of conservation action for the Ruddy-headed Goose in both countries.

The MoU protects only the mainland South American population of the Ruddy-headed Goose.

Males have a white head and breast, whereas the females are brown with black-striped wings and yellow feet, and could be mistaken for Ruddy-headed Geese.

Signatories to the Ruddy-headed Goose MoU:

The Ruddy-headed Goose (Chloephaga rubidiceps) is a large sheldgoose, which breeds in southernmost South America.

In November 2010, a workshop on the conservation of the declining Ruddy-headed Goose took place in Punta Arenas, Chile.

New regulations approved in Argentina in May 2011 prohibit hunting, capture and trade in respect of five goose species including the Ruddy-headed Goose.

Inland, upland and ruddy-headed geese live near small freshwater ponds, along with Silver Teal, Chiloe Wigeon, and White-tufted Grebe.

The Ruddy-headed Goose, which is the smallest austral goose inhabiting South America, faces several threats such as predation by the South American Gray fox, illegal hunting and habitat degradation.

Birds for which the site is of conservation significance include Falkland Steamer Ducks, Ruddy-headed Geese (65 breeding pairs), Gentoo Penguins (4800 pairs), Magellanic Penguins and White-bridled Finches.

Furthermore, the Ruddy-headed Goose tends to congregate with other species considered pests by farmers and so it has been persecuted in the past, especially in the wintering grounds in the South of Buenos Aires province.

Wetlands Internationals, CMS and the Dirección de Fauna Silvestre produced a leaflet entitled "El Cauquén colorado - una especie en peligro de extinction" (the Ruddy-headed Goose - a species in danger of extinction).

In Argentina, activities take place in the framework of a national strategy for the conservation and management of the Ruddy-headed Goose, Ashy-headed Goose and the Upland Goose; and these include an education programme and a monitoring programme in the wintering areas.

Furthermore, the reactivation of a Ruddy-headed Goose forum, the participation in TV and radio interviews, the printing of brochures and books on the species significantly raised the awareness of the locals of the importance of the RHG in the region.

Endangered species in Argentina include the ruddy-headed goose, Argentinean pampas deer, South Andean huemul, Puna rhea, tundra peregrine falcon, black-fronted piping guan, glaucous macaw, spectacled caiman, the broad-nosed caiman, Lear's macaw, the guayaquil great green macaw, and the American crocodile.

Under the auspices of the Convention on Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS), also known as the Bonn Convention, the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) concerning Conservation Measures for the Ruddy-headed Goose was concluded and came into effect on 21 November 2006.

The ' Ruddy-headed Goose ' ('Chloephaga rubidiceps') is a large Tadorninae, which breeds in southernmost South America.