Orinoco Goose (Neochen jubata)

The beautiful Orinoco Goose is a small South American goose which grazes on grass, nests in hollow trees
and has bright orange legs! 

Connecticut's Beardsley Zoo currently exhibits a pair of Orinoco Geese (a male "Gander" and a female "Goose") in our Rainforest building.

Description: 

A small (24-26 inches long/ 2.5 to 4 pounds), “duck-sized” goose with bright orange feet, mottled grayish breast, neck and head, a black and orange bill, blackish-green wings and tail with a white rump.

Habitat: 

Seasonally flooded savannas, forest-covered banks of tropical rivers, lakes and marshlands.

Range: 

Northern South America east of the Andes Mountains from Venezuela and Colombia and Guyana south through Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay and extreme northern Argentina.

Diet: 

Mostly grasses and sedges, sometimes worms, insects and mollusks.

Life Span: 

Reported at 15 years.

Family Life: 

Both male and female geese construct the nest. Females lay 6 to 10 brownish, cream colored eggs and incubate the nest for 30 days. Both parents guard the nest. The young fledge (acquire their adult feathers) by 60 to 90 days.

Status: 

Near Threatened (due to hunting pressure).


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