About Chloephaga poliocephala P.L.Sclater, 1857
Ashy-headed goose (Chloephaga poliocephala P.L.Sclater, 1857) has a body length ranging from 50 to 60 cm, which is 20 to 24 inches. Males weigh between 1.62 and 2.27 kg, equal to 3.6 to 5.0 lb, while females weigh between 1.47 and 1.49 kg, equal to 3.2 to 3.3 lb. Adult ashy-headed geese of both sexes have identical plumage. Their heads and necks are gray. Their upper back and breast are chestnut with fine barring, their flanks are barred black and white, and their belly is white. When in flight, their blackish wings display bold white patches along the leading and trailing edges, plus a metallic green speculum. Their bill is black, and their legs and feet are orange with black markings. Juvenile ashy-headed geese have much duller rufous body areas, stronger barring on the back and breast, and a dark brownish speculum. This goose is native to the southern cone of South America, ranging from central Chile and Buenos Aires Province, Argentina, south to Tierra del Fuego. It also occurs as a vagrant on the Falkland Islands, and has successfully bred there. During the summer, it primarily lives in clearings within damp southern beech (Nothofagus sp.) forests, located around lakes and marshes, on inland islands, near the coast, and on higher ground. In winter, it prefers to occupy meadows and pastures.
