Canquén colorado Chloephaga rubidiceps
Foto: Ricardo Matus
 

Ruddy-headed Goose in its breeding grounds

The Fuego Patagonia population of the Ruddy-headed Goose Chloephaga rubidiceps is in serious danger of extintion. During the breeding season the distribution of this bird is restricted to the southern end of Chile and Argentina. Big part of the breeding pairs are found in the Region of Magellan, Chile. The reasons of its decline are due in among others to the introduction of the Grey Fox Pseudalopex griseus, in Tierra del Fuego Island . During autumn, an important part of the Ruddy-headed Goose population migrates northward, using a little area in the south of the Buenos Aires Province as wintering grounds.

Since 1996 Ricardo Matus has participated as an independent researcher in the project coordinated by Wetlands International and funded by CMS (Convention on Mygratory species / CMS-UNEP) focused on the study and conservation on the scarce Ruddy-headed Goose Chloephaga rubidiceps continental population in its breeding grounds. Through this project it being possible to determine the current distribution of the species, estimate the mainland population, determine new concentration areas and monitor their migratory movements.
To see a brief description of the latest news on this project click here

As part of the concrete measurement protect the species Ricardo Matus and Olivia Blank have proposed the creation of a protected area in one of the “hot spots” of the species in the breeding grounds: San Juan River mouth, Magellan Province, Chile. 

To see pictures of the works carried out in San Juan click here


Some papers on this subject:

- BLANCO, D. E.; R. MATUS; O. BLANK; L. BENEGAS; S. GOLDFEDER; F. MOSCHIONE Y S. ZALBA, 2001. Manual para la Conservación del Cauquén (Canquén) Colorado en Argentina y Chile. Wetlands International. Buenos Aires, 32 pp. Disponible en la web en los siguientes formatos (199 KB) (156 kb)

- MADSEN, J.; R. MATUS; L. BENEGAS; G. MATEAZZI; O. BLANK Y D. E. BLANCO, 2002. Status of the population of Ruddy-headed Goose Chloephaga rubidiceps in Tierra del Fuego and Mainland Patagonia (Chile and Argentina), December 1999 – March 2000. Ornitología Neotropical (aceptado para publicación).

- MATUS, R.; O. BLANK; D. BLANCO; J. MADSEN; L. BENEGAS Y G. MATEAZZI, 2000. Canquén Colorado (Chloephaga rubidiceps), nuevos antecedentes sobre sitios de reproducción y concentración en la XII Región de Magallanes, Chile. Boletín Chileno de Ornitología 7: 13-18.