Related to other stifftails, this monotypic genus is totally
unique among ducks in that it is a nest parasite, utilising nests of at least eighteen species including some raptors!
Breeding in Chile, Paraguay and Argentina, southernmost birds migrate as far as Bolivia and Brazil, northern
breeders are sedentary. Found in pairs or small groups, it is shy in the wild and remains distant, as shown
by the right-hand bird taken in Argentina. Although related, it does not
have a stiff tail nor a swollen bill, and may be a result of convergent evolution rather than a close relative.
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