Bloody battles of steamer ducks with each other over territory disputes are observed in nature.

[5] The genus Tachyeres was introduced in 1875 by the English zoologist Richard Owen to accommodate the Falkland steamer duck.

However, mtDNA sequence analyses of the cytochrome b and NADH dehydrogenase subunit 2 genes indicate that Tachyeres rather belongs in a distinct clade of aberrant South American dabbling ducks, which also includes the Brazilian, the crested, and the bronze-winged ducks.

[3] This finding, combined with the range of flight capability, means the evolutionary history of the group may not be so clear cut.

[3] The flying steamer duck is the only species to reside in landlocked bodies of water.