Taxidermy: Adult Duck - Chili Smient - Mareca siliatrix

Taxidermy:  Adult Duck - Chili Smient - Mareca siliatrix 

• Beautiful duck, nice full feathers, on wooden base.
• Older taxidermy (circa 1990) from a private Italian collection. Fantastic condition, with good soft feathers in beautiful colours. Beautiful iridescent Green/Blue/Purple feathers on his head (depending on your position/the sunlight) 
• Size: about 33x30x15 cm (33 cm length) - weight 520 grammes
• EU only

The Chiloé wigeon (Mareca sibilatrix) is indigenous to the southern part of South America, including the Chiloé Archipelago. In its native range, it is called the pato overo ("piebald duck") or pato real ("royal duck"), although the latter name also refers to the Muscovy in the wild. Its specific epithet, sibilatrix, means 'whistler', referring to the bird's call.

This bird has an iridescent green-blue cap on its head, and a bluish gray bill with a black tip. The cheeks and forehead are white, the eyes are dark brown, and there is a white auricular patch. The neck and occipital part of the head are black. The breast is barred black and white and the plumage of the wings is gray and white. The flanks of males are rust colored, and light brown on females. The legs and feet are gray.

Sexual dimorphism is relatively subtle in this species of wigeon. Males are usually somewhat larger and heavier, and with somewhat brighter plumage and more strongly pronounced iridescence of the cap. Apart from these features, it can be difficult to distinguish the two sexes. Juveniles resemble adult birds, but the rust coloring on the flanks is diminished or absent.

It was first introduced to Europe in 1870; it soon bred in zoos.

Because the Chiloé wigeon is widely distributed and has a large, stable wild population, it is categorized as least concern by the IUCN.