Papango (female) - New Zealand Scaup - Aythya novaeseelandiae
Photographed at Zealandia, Wellington New Zealand.
Endemic to New Zealand, Scaup are the most common of the small New Zealand ducks and still found in many parts of the country, although its distribution is patchy and numbers have been greatly reduced compared with earlier days though the creation of hydro lakes may have helped their recovery. They are diving ducks which have come to prefer large bodies of clean water. They can dive to a depth of 2–3 metres in search of fresh water snails and aquatic plants.
They are quite distinctive ducks, the males being black with a purplish, greenish sheen on the head and the rest of the body a brownish black with a green gloss. The eye is distinctly yellow. The female can be easily distinguished with her brown eye and brownish body. In breeding plumage, the scaup has a small white band on the forehead above the beak.
They are also a highly social species and may nest in close proximity to each other. There is an elaborate courtship display involving the male flinging its head backwards to lie along the back with the bill pointing up and extending its body flat across the water towards the female while whistling softly. While the female is nesting the male stays close by. Indeed the occurrence of a solitary male floating near the shoreline during the breeding season, is an almost sure indication of the presence of a nesting duck.
Male, black with purplish, greenish sheen on the head, rest of the body brownish black with a green gloss, eye is distinctly yellow; female, brown eye, brownish body; breeding plumage, small white band on the forehead above the beak.
Photographed at Zealandia, Wellington New Zealand.
Endemic to New Zealand, Scaup are the most common of the small New Zealand ducks and still found in many parts of the country, although its distribution is patchy and numbers have been greatly reduced compared with earlier days though the creation of hydro lakes may have helped their recovery. They are diving ducks which have come to prefer large bodies of clean water. They can dive to a depth of 2–3 metres in search of fresh water snails and aquatic plants.
They are quite distinctive ducks, the males being black with a purplish, greenish sheen on the head and the rest of the body a brownish black with a green gloss. The eye is distinctly yellow. The female can be easily distinguished with her brown eye and brownish body. In breeding plumage, the scaup has a small white band on the forehead above the beak.
They are also a highly social species and may nest in close proximity to each other. There is an elaborate courtship display involving the male flinging its head backwards to lie along the back with the bill pointing up and extending its body flat across the water towards the female while whistling softly. While the female is nesting the male stays close by. Indeed the occurrence of a solitary male floating near the shoreline during the breeding season, is an almost sure indication of the presence of a nesting duck.
Male, black with purplish, greenish sheen on the head, rest of the body brownish black with a green gloss, eye is distinctly yellow; female, brown eye, brownish body; breeding plumage, small white band on the forehead above the beak.
Papango (female) - New Zealand Scaup - Aythya novaeseelandiae
Photographed at Zealandia, Wellington New Zealand.
Endemic to New Zealand, Scaup are the most common of the small New Zealand ducks and still found in many parts of the country, although its distribution is patchy and numbers have been greatly reduced compared with earlier days though the creation of hydro lakes may have helped their recovery. They are diving ducks which have come to prefer large bodies of clean water. They can dive to a depth of 2–3 metres in search of fresh water snails and aquatic plants.
They are quite distinctive ducks, the males being black with a purplish, greenish sheen on the head and the rest of the body a brownish black with a green gloss. The eye is distinctly yellow. The female can be easily distinguished with her brown eye and brownish body. In breeding plumage, the scaup has a small white band on the forehead above the beak.
They are also a highly social species and may nest in close proximity to each other. There is an elaborate courtship display involving the male flinging its head backwards to lie along the back with the bill pointing up and extending its body flat across the water towards the female while whistling softly. While the female is nesting the male stays close by. Indeed the occurrence of a solitary male floating near the shoreline during the breeding season, is an almost sure indication of the presence of a nesting duck.
Male, black with purplish, greenish sheen on the head, rest of the body brownish black with a green gloss, eye is distinctly yellow; female, brown eye, brownish body; breeding plumage, small white band on the forehead above the beak.
Photographed at Zealandia, Wellington New Zealand.
Endemic to New Zealand, Scaup are the most common of the small New Zealand ducks and still found in many parts of the country, although its distribution is patchy and numbers have been greatly reduced compared with earlier days though the creation of hydro lakes may have helped their recovery. They are diving ducks which have come to prefer large bodies of clean water. They can dive to a depth of 2–3 metres in search of fresh water snails and aquatic plants.
They are quite distinctive ducks, the males being black with a purplish, greenish sheen on the head and the rest of the body a brownish black with a green gloss. The eye is distinctly yellow. The female can be easily distinguished with her brown eye and brownish body. In breeding plumage, the scaup has a small white band on the forehead above the beak.
They are also a highly social species and may nest in close proximity to each other. There is an elaborate courtship display involving the male flinging its head backwards to lie along the back with the bill pointing up and extending its body flat across the water towards the female while whistling softly. While the female is nesting the male stays close by. Indeed the occurrence of a solitary male floating near the shoreline during the breeding season, is an almost sure indication of the presence of a nesting duck.
Male, black with purplish, greenish sheen on the head, rest of the body brownish black with a green gloss, eye is distinctly yellow; female, brown eye, brownish body; breeding plumage, small white band on the forehead above the beak.