Home › Aves › Anatidae › Andean Goose (Oressochen melanopterus)
SPECIES PROFILE
Andean Goose (Oressochen melanopterus)
Oressochen
IUCN STATUS
Least Concern
CONSERVATION STATUS
Least Concern
CLASS
Aves
GEOGRAPHICAL RANGE
High Andes of South America
DIET
Herbivorous
HABITAT
High Andean bogs and lake margins (over 3,000 m)
🔬 Classification
PHYLUM
Chordata
CLASS
Aves
ORDER
Anseriformes
FAMILY
Anatidae
GENUS
Oressochen
📋 Description
SIZE
Up to 80 cm long
COLORATION
White body with black wings and tail; pink bill
ADAPTATIONS
Grazes like a goose at extreme altitude
🌿 Ecology
HABITAT
High Andean bogs and lake margins (over 3,000 m)
DIET
Herbivorous
GEOGRAPHIC RANGE
High Andes of South America
REPRODUCTION
4-10 eggs on the ground
DIET DETAILS
Grasses and sedges
⚠️ Threats & Conservation
PRIMARY THREATS
Habitat change
💡 Interesting Facts
1
A striking black-and-white goose of the high Andes, almost always seen in pairs.
2
It rarely swims, preferring to graze the boggy meadows around mountain lakes.
🔭 Sighting Guide
📍 BEST PLACES TO SIGHT
Sajama National Park
Lake Titicaca
🗓️ BEST TIME TO SIGHT
Year-round
🎯 SIGHTING TIPS
Scan high-altitude wet meadows and lake shores; pairs graze in the open near Andean lagoons.
