Chloephaga hybrida
Silhouette: Edwin Price · PhyloPic
In 3 days >90%
The kelp goose (Chloephaga hybrida) is a species of waterfowl in tribe the Tadornini of the subfamily Anserinae. It is found in Argentina, Chile, and the Falkland Islands. The kelp goose is 55 to 65 cm (22 to 26 in) long. Males of the nominate subspecies weigh 2.54 to 2.58 kg (5.6 to 5.7 lb) and females 2.00 to 2.02 kg (4.4 to 4.5 lb). Subspecies C. h. malvinarum is heavier: Males weigh 3.25 to 3.60 kg (7.2 to 7.9 lb) and females 2.05 to 2.80 kg (4.5 to 6.2 lb). The two subspecies have the same plumage but the sexes are completely different. Adult males are entirely white but for a black bill with a pink spot on the maxilla and yellow legs and feet. Adult females have a pale brown crown and chocolate brown head, neck, and mantle. Their breast and flanks have black and white bars and their back, tail, and undertail coverts are white. Their bill is pink and their legs and feet yellow. Juvenile males resemble adult females but with brown "shoulders" and greenish-yellow legs and feet. Juvenile females have a dark crown and dark uppertail coverts.
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Falkland Islands | 🇫🇰 Falkland Islands | |
| 2 | Tierra del Fuego National Park | 🇦🇷 Argentina |
Very likely
About 70% of wildlife watchers report a Kelp Goose sighting in Falkland Islands on a given day, based on 1,413 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 7th most-seen of the 79 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to over 90%, if each day is a fresh chance.
June
In that month about 80% of wildlife watchers report a Kelp Goose in Falkland Islands on a given day, against about 50% in July, the lowest month.
Between noon and 3 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Kelp Goose sightings with a recorded time, and about 8 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Yes
Of the 2 parks where we can rate Kelp Goose sightings, Falkland Islands has the highest daily chance: about 70%. Next come Tierra del Fuego National Park (Argentina, about 20%).
Same genus: Chloephaga
The closest relatives of the Kelp Goose that you can see in Falkland Islands (genus Chloephaga, Austral Sheldgeese) are Upland Goose (about 90%) and Ruddy-headed Goose (about 40%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Kelp Goose is recorded against all the birds logged in Falkland Islands (1,413 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
