Torrent Duck

The Torrent Duck is a striking, riverine specialist found along Ecuador’s fast-flowing Andean streams, where it clings to boulders and dives through whitewater with remarkable agility. Though globally listed as Least Concern, its populations in Ecuador face mounting pressure from deforestation, pollution, and hydroelectric development, especially in the Río Quijos and Río Toachi watersheds. It nests in rocky crevices and feeds on aquatic invertebrates, often competing with introduced trout for food. Most commonly observed between 1,500 and 3,500 meters, the species persists in fragmented strongholds like the Río Cosanga and Río Pilatón, where habitat quality remains relatively intact.