Tadorninae

The Tadorninae is a subfamily of the Anatidae, the biological family that includes the ducks and most duck-like waterfowl (such as the geese and swans).

This subfamily includes the shelducks, sheldgeese and steamer-ducks. This group of larger, often semi-terrestrial waterfowl can be seen as intermediate between geese (Anserinae) and ducks.

This group is largely tropical or Southern Hemisphere in distribution, with only two species, the Common Shelduck and the Ruddy Shelduck breeding in northern temperate regions, though the Crested Shelduck (presumed extinct) was also a northern species.

Most of these species have a distinctive plumage, but there is no pattern as to whether the sexes are alike, even within a single genus.

There are 10 genera and 23 species:

• Sarkidiornis
  • Comb Duck Sarkidiornis melanotos (Pantropical)

• Tadorna shelducks, 7 species
  • Ruddy Shelduck Tadorna ferruginea
  • Cape Shelduck Tadorna cana
  • Australian Shelduck Tadorna tadornoides
  • Paradise Shelduck Tadorna variegata
  • Crested Shelduck Tadorna cristata (probably extinct)
  • Common Shelduck Tadorna tadorna
  • Radjah Shelduck Tadorna radjah

• Malacorhynchus
  • Pink-eared Duck Malacorhynchus membranaceus

• Alopochen
  • Egyptian Goose Alopochen aegyptiacus (Africa)

• Neochen
  • Orinoco Goose Neochen jubata (South America)

• Chloephaga sheldgeese (South America, 5 species)
  • Andean Goose Chloephaga melanoptera
  • Magellan Goose Chloephaga picta
  • Kelp Goose Chloephaga hybrida
  • Ashy-headed Goose Chloephaga poliocephala
  • Ruddy-headed Goose Chloephaga rubidiceps

• Cyanochen
  • Blue-winged Goose Cyanochen cyanopterus (Ethiopia)

• Hymenolaimus
  • Blue Duck Hymenolaimus malacorhynchos (New Zealand)

• Merganetta
  • Torrent Duck Merganetta armata (Andes Mts., South America)

• Tachyeres steamer ducks (South America 4 species).
  • Flying Steamer Duck Tachyeres patachonicus
  • Magellanic Flightless Steamer Duck Tachyeres pteneres
  • White-headed Flightless Steamer Duck Tachyeres leucocephalus
  • Falkland Flightless Steamer Duck Tachyeres brachypterus