Size: Length; 55cm. Weight; 1-1.2kg.

Habitat and Distribution: Small lakes, swamps and marshes in south-eastern South America and central Chile, from southern Brazil and Paraguay and into south-eastern Argentina.

Age:20 years.

Groups and Breeding:These ducks live either alone or in loose groups during the breeding season but may form flocks of thousands during the winter. They mate in February to March and make a nest in the dense waterside vegetation that has a downy lining. The female lays 8 to 12 eggs which hatch after 28 days. The young fledge after around 50 to 75 days. Eggs and young are both tended entirely by the female. Young may remain after fledging and merge with the next batch of ducklings.

Diet: Grasses, seeds, roots and sedges.

• Netta is Ancient Greek for a duck. Peposaca is a transcription of the Guaraní name of this species which means "showy wings".  Netta species have a bright white stripe on their wings which becomes visible in flight.
• The male and female of this species look very different. Males are black with grey flanks and a white tail and a red bill whilst the female is brown with a grey/black bill.
• Females may lay their eggs into the nest of another duck, thus meaning that she can increase her overall brood size.
• These ducks do not moult their feathers into a drab plumage outside of the breeding season, instead the males keep their bright colouration all year round.