View allAll Photos Tagged Anseriformes
These two Plumed Whistling-Ducks seemed to be trying to outdo each other in splashing.
On your marks!
Orden:Anseriformes
Familia:Anatidae
Subfamilia:Anatinae
Género:Amazonetta
Nombres comunes: Pato brasileño, pato cutirí o pato aliverde Alita azul, Cerceta Brasileña, Patillo, Pato cutirí
Nombre cientifico:Amazonetta brasiliensis
Nombre ingles :Brazilian Teal
Lugar de captura: El Palmar, Entre Rios, Argentina
Por: Cimarron mayor Panta
Mute Swan, Order Anseriformes, Family Anatidae, Species Cygnus olor,..
A large, familiar bird, strikingly white and obvious even at great range, Mute Swan is generally quite tame, even semi-domesticated in its behaviour and choice of habitat.
Territorial pairs are aggressive, even to people or their dogs, using impressive displays of arched wings and loud, hissing calls.
In some floodplains, small groups regularly feed on dry land, a habit that is more consistent with the two " wild swans ", Bewick's and Whooper,
Voice - Strangled trumpeting and hissing notes,
Nesting - Huge pile of vegetation at water's edge; up to 8 eggs; 1 brood; March - June.
Feeding - Plucks vegetable matter from short grass in fields and salt marshes, pulls the same from shallow water, or upends in deeper water,..
Length 1.4 - 1.6m,
Wingspan - 2,08 - 2.38m,
Weight - 10 - 12kg,
Lifespan - 15 - 20 years,
Social - Small flocks,
Status - Secure,...
(Anas platyrhynchos)
Marginal de gaia
Rio Douro
Portugal
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All my photos are now organized into sets by the country where they were taken, by taxonomic order, by family, by species (often with just one photo for the rarer ones), and by the date they were taken.
So, you may find:
- All the photos for this order ANSERIFORMES
- All the photos for this family Anatidae (Anatídeos)
- All the photos for this species Anas platyrhynchos
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Scientific classification
Kingdom:Animalia
Phylum:Chordata
Class:Aves
Order:Anseriformes
Family:Anatidae
Genus:Cygnus
Species:C. cygnus
Binomial name
Cygnus cygnus
Belmullet Co.Mayo 24-12-2020
Cygnus cygnus
Eala Ghlórach
Status: Winter visitor to wetlands throughout Ireland from October to April.
Conservation Concern: Amber-listed due to Ireland hosting more than 20% of the European wintering population. Also due to the majority of Whooper Swans wintering at ten or less sites, as well as its very small breeding population. BirdLife International has assessed the European population as Secure.
Identification: Similar to Bewick's Swan, but larger, with longer neck. Yellow and black bill, with the yellow projecting below the nostril.
Similar Species: Mute and Bewick's Swans.
Call: Vocal bugling or honking.
Diet: Aquatic vegetation, but they are increasingly being recorded grazing on grass in pasture and spilt grain, as well as potatoes from cultivated land.
Breeding: Open shallow water, by coastal inlets, estuaries and rivers. The population occurring in Ireland breeds in Iceland.
Wintering: Most on lowland open farmland around inland wetlands, regularly seen while feeding on grasslands and stubble.
Where to See: Relatively widespread, especially north and west of a line between Limerick and Dublin. Lough Swilly & River Foyle (Co. Donegal) and Lough Foyle on the Donegal/Derry boundary, Lough Gara (Co. Sligo) and the Lough Oughter wetland complex all support greatest numbers (400-2,000 birds).
Morrison-Knudsen Nature Center
Boise, Idaho
14:36 30 October 2015
Class Aves
Order Anseriformes
Family Anatidae
Anas platyrhynchos
"This species is the ancestor of most breeds of domestic ducks."
- Wikipedia
Snow geese land in a farm field in Queen Anne's County, Md., on Jan. 17, 2018. (Photo by Will Parson/Chesapeake Bay Program)
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Mallard duck
El ánade real o #azulón (Anas platyrhynchos) es una especie de ave anseriforme de la familia Anatidae. Es un #pato de superficie común y muy extendido. Habita áreas de temperatura templada de Norteamérica, Europa y Asia. También frecuenta Centroamérica y el Caribe. Probablemente es el más conocido de todos los patos.
El macho tiene la cabeza verde azulada, pico amarillo, pecho pardo o castaño, collar blanco, cuerpo gris y popa negra. La hembra es de colores más apagados en pardo oscuro, se parece a otros patos (sobre todo al ánade friso), pero su mayor tamaño, el color anaranjado y oscuro en el pico y el espejuelo azul y blanco son característicos. Ambos sexos tienen espejuelos azul-morado.
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The #mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) is a large wading bird of the family #Anatidae #Anseriformes. It is a common duck and widespread surface. It inhabits warm temperate areas of North America, Europe and Asia. Also frequents Central America and the Caribbean. Probably the best known of all ducks.
The male has bluish green head, yellow beak, brown or chestnut breast, white necklace, gray body and black stern. The female is duller colors in dark brown, other ducks (especially the Gadwall), but its larger size, the color orange and dark blue beak and white speculum and looks are characteristic. Both sexes have blue-purple glasses.
Scientific classification
Kingdom:Animalia
Phylum:Chordata
Class:Aves
Order:Anseriformes
Family:Anatidae
Genus:Anas
Species:A. platyrhynchos
Binomial name
Anas platyrhynchos
Mallard-9331
The female Mallard Duck was shadowing her young duckling on Gillies Lake in the Gillies Lake Conservation Area located in the City of Timmins in Northeastern Ontario Canada
Mallard Duck - Anas platyrhynchos Order: Anseriformes Family: Anatidae
[order] Anseriformes | [family] Anatidae | [latin] Anas acuta | [UK] Northern Pintail | [FR] Canard pilet | [DE] Spießente | [ES] Ánade Rabudo | [IT] Codone comune | [NL] Pijlstaart
spanwidth min.: 79 cm
spanwidth max.: 87 cm
size min.: 51 cm
size max.: 62 cm
Breeding
incubation min.: 22 days
incubation max.: 24 days
fledging min.: 40 days
fledging max.: 45 days
broods 1
eggs min.: 7
eggs max.: 10
Physical characteristics
Slightly bigger than a mallard, these long-necked and small-headed ducks fly with a curved back pointed wings and a tapering tail, making this the best way to distinguish them from other ducks. The drake Pintail is perhaps the most handsome of our ducks, the very epitome of grace and elegance. His most distinctive identification feature is the wavy white stripe extending up the side of his otherwise brown neck, but birds with their necks hidden can still be told by their white chests, grey bodies, black and yellow undertails and of course, the long spiky tails. The female Pintail lacks the colourful plumage and the tail spike but are still unmistakably elegant, with slender, almost swan-like necks, small plain heads and long slim grey bills. In flight the Pintail looks distinctively slender thanks mainly to their long necks and long pointed tails. In both male and female, it is the white trailing edge to the speculum which is most conspicuous.
Northern Pintails are wary, especially during their flightless stage in late summer, when they are highly secretive. They will forage on land, but find most of their food by dabbling in shallow, muddy water.
Habitat
Small lakes, rivers and shallow freshwater marshes, with dense vegetaion in open country. In winter on coastal lagoons of brackish waters.
Other details
Anas acuta is a widespread breeder in much of northern and parts of central Europe, which accounts for less than a quarter of its global breeding range. Its European breeding population is large (>320,000 pairs), but underwent a large decline between 1970-1990. Although it was stable or increased across much of its European range during 1990-2000, the stronghold population in Russia continued to decline, and the species underwent a moderate decline (>10%) overall.
This duck is breeding in northern Eurasia and North America. For practical reasons its populations of the European Union can be subdivided in two distinct sub-populations, separated by their wintering quarters. The first, totalling about 60000 individuals, is wintering in the Atlantic regions from Denmark to the British Isles and Aquitaine. The second population is estimated at 1200000 individuals. It winters around the Mediterranean and in West Africa. These two populations are not strictly separated and many birds are shifting from one to the other. Nevertheless this species is declining in western Europe, fluctuating in Central Europe and the Mediterranean.
Widespread and common throughout North America, Europe, and Asia, the Northern Pintail is probably one of the most numerous species of duck worldwide. Numbers in North America vary a great deal from year to year, although some surveys have recorded significant, long-term declines since the 1960s. Predators and farming operations destroy many thousands of Northern Pintail nests each year. Farming has also affected nesting habitat. Pintails appear to be responding to new conservation practices, however, including habitat restoration and tighter restrictions on hunting, and numbers seem to be increasing. If these practices are maintained, Northern Pintails should be able to maintain a healthy population in North America.
Feeding
Aquatic plants and crop vegetative, leaves, stems, roots and seeds. Many terrestrial and aquatic invertebrates, amphibians and some small fish in spring and summer. Feeds by dabbling, upending and head-dipping in shallow water. Sometimes grazes on dry land.
Conservation
This species has a large range, with an estimated global Extent of Occurrence of 10,000,000 km². It has a large global population estimated to be 6,100,000-7,500,000 individuals (Wetlands International 2002). Global population trends have not been quantified, but the species is not believed to approach the thresholds for the population decline criterion of the IUCN Red List (i.e. declining more than 30% in ten years or three generations). For these reasons, the species is evaluated as Least Concern. [conservation status from birdlife.org]
Breeding
Pairing begins on the wintering grounds and continues through spring migration. Northern Pintails are among the earliest nesters, and arrive on the breeding grounds as soon as they are free of ice (egg laying from november-march) in single pairs or loose groups. The nest is located on dry ground in short vegetation. It is usually near water, but may be up to half a mile away from the nearest body of water. Pintail nests are often more exposed than other ducks' nests. The nest is a shallow depression, built by the female and made of grass, twigs, or leaves, lined with down. Incubation of the 6 to 10 eggs lasts from 21 to 25 days and is done by the female alone. The pair bond dissolves shortly after the female begins incubation, when the males gather in flocks to molt. Within a few hours of hatching, the young follow the female from the nest site. They can feed themselves, but the female continues to tend them until they fledge at 38 to 52 days. In the far north where continuous daylight allows for round-the-clock feeding, the young develop faster. Sexual maturity is reached after one year.
Migration
Highly migratory. Breeders from Iceland winter mainly Britain and Ireland. Breeding populations of north Russia east to north-west Siberia, Fenno-Scandia, and Baltic migrate south-west to winter in the Netherlands and British Isles, movement from former to latter in hard weather. Vast population breeding from Belarus and Russia east to West Siberia winter in Mediterranean and Black Sea areas, and probably West Africa. Major movements away from moult areas and breeding grounds mid-August to early September. Early passage through Europe in August, peak movements mid-September to November, males preceding females due to earlier moult. Further movements under weather influence at any time during winter. Departures from West Africa begin February, from west Europe late February or March; reach tundras late May. Major flyways tend to follow coasts, normally relatively small numbers inland central Europe.
Adults are white all over and young birds greyish with a pinkish bill. Compared to the similar whooper swan, these swans have proportionally more black and less yellow on their bill. They're also smaller than both mute and whooper swans and have faster wingbeats.
Orden: Anseriformes.
Familia: Anatidae.
Nombre cientifico: Callonetta leucophrys.
Nombre en Ingles: Ringed Teal.
Captura: General Pico, La Pampa, Argentina.
[order] Anseriformes | [family] Anatidae | [latin] Somateria mollissima | [UK] Eider | [FR] Eider à duvet | [DE] Eiderente | [ES] Eider | [IT] Edredone | [NL] Eider | [IRL] Éadar
spanwidth min.: 95 cm
spanwidth max.: 105 cm
size min.: 60 cm
size max.: 70 cm
Breeding
incubation min.: 25 days
incubation max.: 28 days
fledging min.: 65 days
fledging max.: 75 days
broods 1
eggs min.: 4
eggs max.: 7
Status: Resident along rocky coasts in the north and north-west of Ireland.
Conservation Concern: Amber-listed in Ireland due to the majority of Eiders wintering at less than ten sites.The European population is regarded as Secure.
Identification: Large and heavy-built, with short neck, large head, long wedge-shaped bill. Birds seen in irregular - loose clusters. Males largely white with black belly, sides and stern. Head white with black crown, and pale green on sides of the nape.
Similar Species: Adult male is unmistakable. Females and immature resemble other duck species.
Call: Male with cooing display-call, and a far carrying 'a-ooh-e'.
Diet: They generally feed by diving in waters up to 20 m depth, feeding predominantly on mussels, other molluscs, crustaceans and echinoderms.
Breeding: Eider nest colonially on offshore islets, along low-lying coast, usually where the threat of mammalian predation is minimal. Eider seldom occur far from the sea throughout the year. They breed around the coast of Scotland and northern England and along the north and northwest coasts of Ireland. Up to 100 pairs have been estimated in Ireland.
Wintering: Occurs on shallow, inshore coastal waters, near estuary mouths mostly along the northwest and northeast coastlines.
Where to See: Belfast Lough in County Down and Outer Ards in County Down regularly supports almost 1,000 & 500 birds respectively. Lough Foyle in County Derry, Strangford Lough in County Down, Larne Lough in County Antrim and the Streedagh Estuary in County Sligo are other well-used wintering sites.
Physical characteristics
The Common Eider Somateria mollissima is the largest duck in the northern hemisphere. It weighs an average of 1 800 g, but its weight can vary from 850 to 3 025 g depending on race, sex, and time of year. There are four Common Eider races in North America; subtle differences in body size and bill structure distinguish each race from the other.
The plumage of the Common Eider varies considerably. It passes through several stages while the bird is growing to maturity, and after the bird reaches adulthood at about three years old, the plumage alternates between two colours each year as a result of moulting, or the replacement of old feathers with new. In addition, the male's plumage differs from the female's.
Between the ages of three weeks and three years, male Common Eiders moult their feathers eight times, changing their colour from a juvenile blackish brown to an adult olive-brown and white in winter and a striking black and white, with a small area of light emerald green on the back and sides of the head, during the breeding season. Changes in female plumage are less dramatic: from a juvenile blackish brown, the duck becomes rusty-to-tan. The female's summer colours provide good camouflage in the vegetation and rocks of the offshore islands on which she breeds.
Common Eiders can live 20 years, one of the longest lifespans among sea ducks. However, the expected lifespan for eider populations which are heavily harvested may be much shorter.
Habitat
Of all sea ducks, the Common Eider is the most closely tied to marine habitat. It lives in arctic and subarctic coastal marine areas, where it frequents coastal headlands, offshore islands, skerries, and shoals. The Common Eider rarely leaves the water in the winter, and some races remain as far north as there is open water. The seven races of Common Eiders have different breeding ranges. In North America the southern race Somateria mollissima dresseri breeds from Maine to Hamilton Inlet on the Labrador coast; the northern race Somateria mollissima borealis breeds from northern Labrador to Ellesmere Island in the eastern Canadian Arctic; the Hudson Bay race Somateria mollissima sedentaria remains all year within Hudson Bay; and the Pacific race Somateria mollissima v-nigra breeds from Coronation Gulf in the MacKenzie District of the Northwest Territories to the south side of the Alaskan peninsula. Three subspecies are found outside North America: one in northwest Europe, one in Iceland and a third in the Faeroe Islands north of Great Britain.
The Common Eider belongs to the sea duck tribe (Mergini), which contains closely related ducks, all of which use marine habitats to some degree. The King Eider Somateria spectabilis, Spectacled Eider Somateria fischeri, and Common Eider all belong to the same genus, and hybridization is known to occur between Common and King Eiders. Eider ducks are gregarious, travelling and feeding in flocks numbering from tens to thousands.
Other details
This mainly marine species is breeding on arctic islands, in the north-west and extreme east of Eurasia and in North America. Some populations are sedentary. Others are migratory, wintering mainly in Denmark, northern Germany and the Netherlands, but reaching the Atlantic coasts of France. A few birds are seen in Central Europe and the western Mediterranean. The population of north-western Europe is totalling 1.7 to 2.3 millions of individuals (Scott & Rose). A few birds also reach Greece. They probably belong to a small population inhabiting the Ukrainian shores of the Black Sea
Feeding
Eiders feed during the day by diving to the bottom in waters from 3 to 20 m deep to take mussels, clams, scallops, sea urchins, starfish, and crabs, which are swallowed whole and crushed in the large gizzard.
In winter, when daylight is short, more than half the daytime hours are spent in feeding. The ducks feed in shoal waters off headlands and offshore islands and skerries. Flocks move together at the same rate, the ducks at the front of a flock diving first and the rest following sequentially. After 15 to 30 minutes of intensive feeding, flocks move offshore to rest, preen, and digest the contents of the gullet. The feeding sequence is then repeated.
During spring migration, and when the eider ducks arrive near their breeding places, much time is spent feeding, and the birds accumulate fat. These stores are particularly important for the breeding females, or hens, which rely on the reserves through the incubation period. Unlike many ducks, the hen does not feed once she starts sitting on her eggs. The young apparently eat insects during their first week of life.
Conservation
This species has a large range, with an estimated global Extent of Occurrence of 100,000-1,000,000 km². It has a large global population estimated to be 2,500,000-3,600,000 individuals (Wetlands International 2002). Global population trends have not been quantified, but the species is not believed to approach the thresholds for the population decline criterion of the IUCN Red List (i.e. declining more than 30% in ten years or three generations). For these reasons, the species is evaluated as Least Concern. [conservation status from birdlife.org]
Breeding
Eiders return to the breeding islands along the northern coasts as soon as shore-fast ice or pack ice starts to dissipate. Many eider ducks are paired when they arrive on the breeding grounds, although some pairing occurs there. Some races remain paired for several years, others do not. Courtship is very intense in spring, with males making displays for the females which include the upward tossing of the head, cooing, neck-stretching and wing-flapping. Courtship continues after pairing in order to maintain pair bonds.
Some female eiders may breed in their second year of life, but males do not breed until they are three years old. Many females will not breed in some years. Common Eiders breed mainly on small offshore marine islands or isolated spits and points that are free of mammalian predators. Within a couple of weeks of arriving at the breeding grounds, the birds make prospecting flights and visits to choose a suitable nesting place. Often females will use the same nesting site for a number of years, while others choose new nest sites each year. They nest in early summer in dense colonies of tens to 10 000 or more; nesting starts progressively later as one proceeds farther north. There is one brood per season.
Only the female prepares the nest. In some races, the male stays with the female for a while; in others, he does not. When he remains, the male defends the female from other eiders and from gulls and ensures that she does not mate with other males.
The female begins laying the eggs a couple of days after the nest is ready. There are usually four or five eggs per nest, and generally, one egg is laid per day. When the second or third egg has been laid, the female lines her nest with down plucked from her body. While laying the egges, some females will leave the nesting colony, possibly to feed before they return to the nest to incubate, or sit on the eggs, continuously. Once incubation begins, the female only leaves the nest for a little as five minutes every two or three days to drink, but not to eat. During early egg-laying, if the male is still in the vicinity, he accompanies the female on her breaks. By mid-incubation, most males have left the colony on their moult migrations. Incubation lasts from 21 to 24 days, and about 50 to 70 percent of the eggs hatch successfully.
The downy newborns leave the nest within 24 hours, and they feed themselves. Within one hour of entering the water, they can dive competently. Young first fly when they are 60 days old. Generally, few survive to fly; many are lost to predators, exposure, or starvation in their first week of life. In good years, one duckling per adult pair may survive for the fall flight. On the other hand, adults are often long--lived, and estimated annual survival rates vary from 80 to 95 percent. This low reproductive success, which is compensated by high adult survival, is very characteristic of eiders and other sea ducks such as scoters and Long-tailed Ducks. Most other ducks breed more successfully but lose 40 to 50 percent of adults each year.
The mother's relationship with her ducklings ends when she leaves for the moult migration in the autumn. In the fall migration, groups of young may travel together and arrive before the adults on the winter range.
Migration
Migratory, partially migratory, and dispersive. In north-west Europe, major moult migration considerably affects picture of normal migration. Breeders and immatures leave nesting grounds for annual moult in German Waddenzee area, leaving ducklings in care of small number of adults which moult locally. First move June, probably mostly immatures, adults following July; some movement as late as September, especially from east. Waddenzee moulting place for virtually all Shelduck in north-west Europe, except for several thousand which moult in Britain, notably in Bridgwater Bay, south-west England. When moult completed, autumn migration begins in rather leisurely fashion. For breeders of Netherlands, Britain, and Ireland, this entails return to breeding areas. Breeding populations from areas to east of moulting grounds winter around coasts of southern North Sea, west France, and to some extent Britain and Ireland; many thousands remain on moulting grounds. Those wintering outside their breeding areas begin return March. Breeding populations of south-east Europe mainly sedentary, flocking in winter, moving only if bad weather. Those breeding Volga area and Ural steppes migrate to Caspian, where join resident breeders. South of main wintering areas, small numbers occur fairly regularly Iberia, Mediterranean basin east to Nile valley and Middle East.
VIDEO @= flic.kr/p/25ZMegU
Twelve males displaying to a single female
Skerries Co.Dublin 22-03-2018
[order] Anseriformes | [family] Anatidae | [latin] Melanitta nigra | [UK] Common Scoter | [FR] Macreuse noire | [DE] Trauerente | [ES] Negrón común | [IT] Orchetto marino | [NL] Zwarte Zee-eend | [IRL] Scótar
spanwidth min.: 130 cm
spanwidth max.: 155 cm
size min.: 48 cm
size max.: 58 cm
Breeding
incubation min.: 27 days
incubation max.: 29 days
fledging min.: 0 days
fledging max.: 0 days
broods 1
eggs min.: 10
eggs max.: 12
There has been a decline in breeding numbers since the 1970s - 96 pairs were estimated in 1995 and 80 in 1999. Eutrophication of the waters has reduced the species’ food supply which has resulted in poor productivity and juvenile survival. Mink predation has also had a considerable impact during the breeding season, and incubating females have been most vulnerable. However, in recent decades, it has been suggested that birds may be redistributing to other large lakes in western and central Ireland.
Status: Resident and winter visitor from the Continentto all Irish coasts between October and April.
Conservation Concern: Red-listed due to its declining breeding population. The European population has been evaluated as Secure.
Identification: Medium-sized, plump duck usually seen in large flocks offshore. At closer range, males with yellow knob at base of bill. All dark plumage, with no white on the wing. Males black, females sooty brown with paler cheeks.
Similar Species: Velvet Scoter and other ducks.
Call: Soft piping 'pju'.
Diet: During the summer the diet is varied and includes water plants, insect larvae and freshwater crustaceans. During the winter, they forage mostly in waters less than 20 m deep and with coarse sandy substrates. They feed predominantly on benthic bivalve molluscs.
Breeding: First recorded breeding in Ireland in the beginning of the 20th century at Lower Lough Erne. Numbers increased steadily - up to 150 pairs were estimated during the late 1960s. They nest on islands with dense covering of scrub and tree cover. The breedding population has declined since due to the increase in Mink, which predate the nests and young.
Wintering: Common Scoter are almost entirely marine during the winter, and tend to congregate in large flocks on shallow seas with sandy bottoms supporting their preferred prey.
Where to See: Wexford Bay in County Wexford, Castlemaine Harbour & Rossbehy in County Kerry, Brandon Bay - Inner Brandon Bay in County Kerry, Donegal Bay in County Donegal and from Ben Head to Skerries on the east coast are among the best wintering sites, supporting 800-4,500 birds.
Physical characteristics
Black Scoters are large, mostly black or dark gray sea ducks. Formerly called the Common Scoter, the Black Scoter is the least common of the three scoters. Adult males are solid black with a bulbous yellow knob on an otherwise black bill. Females and juveniles are dark gray, lighter on the cheek with a dark cap. Their bills are dark and lack the knob found in adult males.
Scoters spend the non-breeding part of the year in large flocks on the ocean. Black Scoters forage by diving and swimming under water, propelled by their feet. They usually feed in areas of open water, avoiding dense submergent or emergent vegetation. They swallow their prey under water, unless it is large or bulky. They are strong fliers, but must get a running start on the water to get airborne.
Habitat
The breeding range of the Black Scoter is at the edge of the northern forest or in the treeless tundra, where they breed on small, shallow lakes, ponds, sloughs, and river banks with tall grasses to conceal nests. In winter, they can be found on coastal bays and along coastlines, usually in shallow water within a mile of shore.
VIDEO @= flic.kr/p/25ZMegU
Twelve males displaying to a single female
Skerries Co.Dublin 22-03-2018
[order] Anseriformes | [family] Anatidae | [latin] Melanitta nigra | [UK] Common Scoter | [FR] Macreuse noire | [DE] Trauerente | [ES] Negrón común | [IT] Orchetto marino | [NL] Zwarte Zee-eend | [IRL] Scótar
spanwidth min.: 130 cm
spanwidth max.: 155 cm
size min.: 48 cm
size max.: 58 cm
Breeding
incubation min.: 27 days
incubation max.: 29 days
fledging min.: 0 days
fledging max.: 0 days
broods 1
eggs min.: 10
eggs max.: 12
There has been a decline in breeding numbers since the 1970s - 96 pairs were estimated in 1995 and 80 in 1999. Eutrophication of the waters has reduced the species’ food supply which has resulted in poor productivity and juvenile survival. Mink predation has also had a considerable impact during the breeding season, and incubating females have been most vulnerable. However, in recent decades, it has been suggested that birds may be redistributing to other large lakes in western and central Ireland.
Status: Resident and winter visitor from the Continentto all Irish coasts between October and April.
Conservation Concern: Red-listed due to its declining breeding population. The European population has been evaluated as Secure.
Identification: Medium-sized, plump duck usually seen in large flocks offshore. At closer range, males with yellow knob at base of bill. All dark plumage, with no white on the wing. Males black, females sooty brown with paler cheeks.
Similar Species: Velvet Scoter and other ducks.
Call: Soft piping 'pju'.
Diet: During the summer the diet is varied and includes water plants, insect larvae and freshwater crustaceans. During the winter, they forage mostly in waters less than 20 m deep and with coarse sandy substrates. They feed predominantly on benthic bivalve molluscs.
Breeding: First recorded breeding in Ireland in the beginning of the 20th century at Lower Lough Erne. Numbers increased steadily - up to 150 pairs were estimated during the late 1960s. They nest on islands with dense covering of scrub and tree cover. The breedding population has declined since due to the increase in Mink, which predate the nests and young.
Wintering: Common Scoter are almost entirely marine during the winter, and tend to congregate in large flocks on shallow seas with sandy bottoms supporting their preferred prey.
Where to See: Wexford Bay in County Wexford, Castlemaine Harbour & Rossbehy in County Kerry, Brandon Bay - Inner Brandon Bay in County Kerry, Donegal Bay in County Donegal and from Ben Head to Skerries on the east coast are among the best wintering sites, supporting 800-4,500 birds.
Physical characteristics
Black Scoters are large, mostly black or dark gray sea ducks. Formerly called the Common Scoter, the Black Scoter is the least common of the three scoters. Adult males are solid black with a bulbous yellow knob on an otherwise black bill. Females and juveniles are dark gray, lighter on the cheek with a dark cap. Their bills are dark and lack the knob found in adult males.
Scoters spend the non-breeding part of the year in large flocks on the ocean. Black Scoters forage by diving and swimming under water, propelled by their feet. They usually feed in areas of open water, avoiding dense submergent or emergent vegetation. They swallow their prey under water, unless it is large or bulky. They are strong fliers, but must get a running start on the water to get airborne.
Habitat
The breeding range of the Black Scoter is at the edge of the northern forest or in the treeless tundra, where they breed on small, shallow lakes, ponds, sloughs, and river banks with tall grasses to conceal nests. In winter, they can be found on coastal bays and along coastlines, usually in shallow water within a mile of shore.
VIDEO @= flic.kr/p/25ZMegU
Twelve males displaying to a single female
Skerries Co.Dublin 22-03-2018
[order] Anseriformes | [family] Anatidae | [latin] Melanitta nigra | [UK] Common Scoter | [FR] Macreuse noire | [DE] Trauerente | [ES] Negrón común | [IT] Orchetto marino | [NL] Zwarte Zee-eend | [IRL] Scótar
spanwidth min.: 130 cm
spanwidth max.: 155 cm
size min.: 48 cm
size max.: 58 cm
Breeding
incubation min.: 27 days
incubation max.: 29 days
fledging min.: 0 days
fledging max.: 0 days
broods 1
eggs min.: 10
eggs max.: 12
There has been a decline in breeding numbers since the 1970s - 96 pairs were estimated in 1995 and 80 in 1999. Eutrophication of the waters has reduced the species’ food supply which has resulted in poor productivity and juvenile survival. Mink predation has also had a considerable impact during the breeding season, and incubating females have been most vulnerable. However, in recent decades, it has been suggested that birds may be redistributing to other large lakes in western and central Ireland.
Status: Resident and winter visitor from the Continentto all Irish coasts between October and April.
Conservation Concern: Red-listed due to its declining breeding population. The European population has been evaluated as Secure.
Identification: Medium-sized, plump duck usually seen in large flocks offshore. At closer range, males with yellow knob at base of bill. All dark plumage, with no white on the wing. Males black, females sooty brown with paler cheeks.
Similar Species: Velvet Scoter and other ducks.
Call: Soft piping 'pju'.
Diet: During the summer the diet is varied and includes water plants, insect larvae and freshwater crustaceans. During the winter, they forage mostly in waters less than 20 m deep and with coarse sandy substrates. They feed predominantly on benthic bivalve molluscs.
Breeding: First recorded breeding in Ireland in the beginning of the 20th century at Lower Lough Erne. Numbers increased steadily - up to 150 pairs were estimated during the late 1960s. They nest on islands with dense covering of scrub and tree cover. The breedding population has declined since due to the increase in Mink, which predate the nests and young.
Wintering: Common Scoter are almost entirely marine during the winter, and tend to congregate in large flocks on shallow seas with sandy bottoms supporting their preferred prey.
Where to See: Wexford Bay in County Wexford, Castlemaine Harbour & Rossbehy in County Kerry, Brandon Bay - Inner Brandon Bay in County Kerry, Donegal Bay in County Donegal and from Ben Head to Skerries on the east coast are among the best wintering sites, supporting 800-4,500 birds.
Physical characteristics
Black Scoters are large, mostly black or dark gray sea ducks. Formerly called the Common Scoter, the Black Scoter is the least common of the three scoters. Adult males are solid black with a bulbous yellow knob on an otherwise black bill. Females and juveniles are dark gray, lighter on the cheek with a dark cap. Their bills are dark and lack the knob found in adult males.
Scoters spend the non-breeding part of the year in large flocks on the ocean. Black Scoters forage by diving and swimming under water, propelled by their feet. They usually feed in areas of open water, avoiding dense submergent or emergent vegetation. They swallow their prey under water, unless it is large or bulky. They are strong fliers, but must get a running start on the water to get airborne.
Habitat
The breeding range of the Black Scoter is at the edge of the northern forest or in the treeless tundra, where they breed on small, shallow lakes, ponds, sloughs, and river banks with tall grasses to conceal nests. In winter, they can be found on coastal bays and along coastlines, usually in shallow water within a mile of shore.
Tundra swans migrate in large V-shaped or ribbon-like flocks. (Photo by Steve Droter/Chesapeake Bay Program)
L'ànec mandarí (Aix galericulata) és una espècie d'ocell anseriforme de la família Anatidae originària de la Xina, el Japó i Sibèria. Dotada de colors vius, ha estat introduïda a diversos punts d'Europa i és molt apreciada per la seva bellesa.
De constitució robusta i elegant, pot arribar a fer fins a 45 cm de longitud. Presenta un notori dimorfisme sexual. Els mascles només s'assemblen a les femelles quan estan protegits pel plomatge d'eclipsi.
En època d'aparellament, els mascles presenten un plomatge extraordinàriament acolorit. El color predominant és el marró, amb un casquet al clatell de color vermell i amb lluïssors metàl·liques de color verd al front i a l'extrem de les ales. Damunt dels ulls (foscos), hi té dues franges laterals blanques o de color crema molt clar, i el bec adquireix un to roig coral·lí. El pit i la gola són de color morat; el ventre, blanc, i els costats, d'un to crema amb dues bandes blavoses que donen pas a dues franges ataronjades que van cap amunt.
Les femelles tenen un plomatge molt més discret, de tons marronosos, amb un anell blanc al voltant de l'ull i una franja del mateix color darrere l'ull. La part del ventre és més clara que el dors.
El plomatge en eclipsi del mascle és molt semblant al de la femella, si bé el bec i les potes conserven el color de l'època d'aparellament, tot i que més apagats.
The kuruwhengi is quite ahrd to photograph. It is a shy duck, for the most aprt, avoids popular city ponds in favour of quieter waterways. It's a striking duck with a huge bill that seems almost too big for the head. The male is especially colourful.
Taken at otukaikino reserve, Christchurch, New Zealand.
Order: Anseriformes
Family: Anatidae
Shovelers are specialist filter-feeding waterfowl with a large spoon-shaped or shovel-shaped bill that is almost twice as broad at its tip than at its base and which is the bird’s most conspicuous feature. Fine lamellae extend along most of the edge of the upper mandible and it is by pushing water through this lamellae curtain that small plankton and fine seeds are extracted.
Kuruwhengi are sexually dimorphic. The males are highly coloured most of the year, when they have a blue-grey head and neck with a distinctive white crescentic band at the base of its large spatulate black bill. The breast is a mottled brown and white after breeding but becomes progressively pure white as the nuptial moult proceeds during May. Its chestnut flank is offset by a large white patch at the tail base. The eye is yellow and the legs bright orange. Females are uniformly mottled light brown with dull brown bill and eye, and brown-orange legs. In flight Australasian shovelers have a distinctive profile with a conspicuously large, indeed out of proportion, bill, sharp pointed wings and very rapid wingbeats. The blue, white and green patches on the upper wing contrast with the white underwing. Their flight, especially at takeoff, gives off a distinctive whirring soun. Shovelers are quiet ducks. Displaying or defensive drakes have a rapid, but low volume, train-like sound (chuff-chuff) call, and females sometimes quack. Kuruwhengi are widespread throughout the North and South Islands, rarely on Stewart Island, mainly on large freshwater wetlands (usually fairly coastal), but occasionally in sheltered estuaries. They also make seasonal use of dune lakes, temporary wetlands, drains and sewage ponds.
Shovelers perform spectacular communal courting and then pairs break off to find a secluded territory for nesting which occurs in October, which is later than for all other waterfowl. Males vigorously defend territory. Nests are usually situated in long grass near water. Clutches are of 5-13 (mean 10) white eggs and upon hatching the ducklings are raised solely by the female over about 8 weeks. Broods are rarely active or conspicuous during the day. (Source: NZ Birds Online)
Walensee bei Weesen im Kanton St. Gallen und Glarus der Schweiz
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Höckerschwan ( Cygnus olor - Ordnung Gänsevögel Anseriformes - Familie Entenvögel - Schwan swan cygne cigno - Vogel Wasservogel bird oiseau uccello - Fauna Vogelwelt Tierwelt )
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Walensee
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- Geographische Lage : Ostschweiz
- Zuflüsse seit 1.8.1.1 E.scherkanal ( L.inth ) und S.eez
- Abfluss : L.inthkanal
- O.rte am U.fer : W.eesen und W.alenstadt
- Höhe über Meeresspiegel : 419 m ü. M.
- Fläche : 24 km²
- Maximale Tiefe : 151 m
- Besonderheiten => BFS-Nr.: 9179
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Der Walensee ist ein See in den östlichen Voralpen in der Schweiz und liegt in den
Kantonen St. G.allen und G.larus.
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Name
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Der Name bedeutet See der Welschen (vgl. W.alchensee in B.ayern ), da im Frühmittel-
alter der Walensee die Sprachgrenze zwischen den im W.esten siedelnden A.lamannen
und den R.ätoromanen, den W.elschen, im O.sten bildete.
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Geographie
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Der See liegt auf 419 m ü. M. und hat eine Oberfläche von 24 km². Seine grösste Tiefe be-
trägt 151 m. Durch seine besondere Lage ( inmitten eines Tals und auf beiden Seiten bis
zu 1000 Meter hohe Steilhänge ) ist die Wassertemperatur des Walensees um einige Grad
kälter als diejenige benachbarter Seen. Er wird im S.ommer selten über 20 °C warm. Ge-
prägt wurde das U - T.al durch den R.heingletscher in der W.ürmeiszeit.
Der H.auptzufluss war ursprünglich die S.eez. Seit der L.inthkorrektion in den Jahren
1.8.0.7 bis 1.8.1.1 ist die G.larner L.inth durch den E.scherkanal der Hauptzufluss. Die
L.inth tangierte vorher den Walensee gar nicht und floss vom G.larnerland aus direkt in
Richtung Z.ürichsee. Die Verbindung zwischen L.inth und W.alensee wurde durch die
M.aag hergestellt, die sich bei Z.iegelbrücke mit der L.inth vereinigte.
O.rtschaften am Walensee sind W.alenstadt, M.ols, U.nterterzen, M.urg, M.ühlehorn, und
W.eesen sowie am N.ordufer die Dörfer B.etlis und Q.uinten. Bei Touristen am beliebte-
sten ist die a.utofreie O.rtschaft Q.uinten, welche nur durch S.chiff oder durch eine mehr-
stündige Wanderung zu erreichen ist und ein M.ittelmeerklima bietet. Nördlich befindet
sich das auf einer T.errasse hoch über dem See gelegene A.mden und die B.ergkette der
C.hurfirsten. S.üdlich des S.ees liegen die W.inter- und S.ommer - T.ourismusregionen
F.lumserberg und K.erenzerberg.
Durch die L.inthkorrektion sank der Wasserspiegel um 5,5 m. Bei Hochwasser erlangt der
See jeweils sein früheres Aussehen.
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V.erkehr
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Nach der Eroberung durch die R.ömer um das Jahr 15 v. Chr. lag der Walensee im G.renz-
bereich der r.ömischen P.rovinzen R.aetia ( R.ätien ) und G.ermania s.uperior ( Oberger-
Manien ). Die r.ömischen v.ici C.entum P.rata ( K.empraten ) und T.uricum ( Z.ürich )
dienten auf dem W.asserweg W.alensee – Z.ürichsee über die L.immat und den R.hein als
K.notenpunkte des W.arenverkehrs über die A.lpenroute.
Verkehrstechnisch war der Walensee seit der A.ntike eine grosse Herausforderung, da es
dort kaum Ebenen gibt. So trassieren die B.ahnstrecke Z.iegelbrücke - C.hur resp. die ehe-
malige S.üdostbahn S.argans - R.apperschwyl wie auch die A.utobahn A.3 den Walensee
durch G.alerien und T.unnels.
Bis zur Eröffnung der W.alenseestrasse war auf dem L.andweg die P.assage zwischen der
L.inthebene und W.alenstadt nur über den K.erenzerberg zwischen M.ollis und Q.uarten
möglich. Bis in die frühe N.euzeit wurde der W.arenverkehr zwischen Z.ürich und C.hur
deshalb per S.chiff auf dem W.alensee befördert. Seit der Errichtung des L.inthkanals
konnten G.üter direkt mit dem S.chiff von W.alenstadt nach Z.ürich gefahren werden.
1.9.7.4 wurde in der L.inthebene die v.ierspurige A.utobahn A.3 eröffnet. Zwischen
W.eesen und M.ühlehorn wurde aus ihr eine zweispurige W.alenseestrasse. Sie bestand
im Wesentlichen aus der H.auptstrasse durch die Dörfer M.ühlehorn, M.urg, U.nterterzen
und M.ols. Bei W.alenstadt begann die F.ortsetzung der N.3.
Die H.auptstrasse hatte zwar gewöhnliche Verbindungen und F.ussgängerstreifen, war
aber dennoch einem hohen Verkehrsaufkommen ausgesetzt. Der Walensee erhielt durch
diesen E.ngpass einen schweizweiten R.uf als N.adelöhr für den V.erkehr, da sich bei
hohem Verkehrsaufkommen und den damit verbundenen häufigen schweren Verkehrs-
u.nfällen jeweils kilometerlange S.taus in der L.inthebene bildeten.
Jahrelang war die Meldung «S.tau am Walensee» in der Ostschweiz so geläufig, dass die
K.abarettisten des in den achtziger Jahren populären T.rio E.ugster dem Walensee den
Beinamen Qualensee verlieh. Zur gleichen Zeit wurde die heutige W.alenseeautobahn in
Arbeitsgemeinschaft verschiedener Bauunternehmungen gebaut. Die Bauleitung über-
nahm das Bauingenieurbüro Locher & Cie A.G in Z.ürich.
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Sonstiges
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1.8.5.0 ging im Walensee das D.ampfboot D.elphin unter.
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1.9.5.1 wurden im Walensee von der Schweizer A.rmee eine Tonne deutsche M.G 4.2
........... versenkt. Zwischen 1.9.6.0 und 1.9.6.5 wurden weiter 200 Kg M.unition versenkt,
........... die genauen V.ersenkungsorte sind nicht bekannt.
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Das vollbeladene K.ies - Transfer - S.chiff B.risi sank im A.pril 2.0.0.6 innert Sekunden.
Nach zwei Monaten glückte die Bergung des S.chiffes aus etwa 130 Metern Tiefe. Nicht
unwichtig war, dass die ganze Ladung beim Versinken des Schiffes auf den Seeboden
gekippt wurde.
Die K.iesladung eines solchen grösseren L.edischiffes beträgt mindestens 300 Tonnen.
Ursache waren die offen gebliebenen R.evisionsluken, durch welche Wasser eines Lecks
ungehindert in alle weiteren Schotts eindringen konnte.
Am O.stufer des Sees befindet sich bei W.alenstadt die W.alensee - B.ühne, auf der seit
2.0.0.5 im S.ommer M.usicals aufgeführt werden.
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( BeschriebWalensee AlbumWalensee Alpensee See Lake Lac Sø Järvi Lago 湖 Schweiz
Suisse Switzerland Svizzera Suissa Swiss Sveitsi Sviss スイス Zwitserland Sveits Suíça
Szwajcaria Suiza )
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Ausflug zur S.perrs.telle N.äfels am Mittwoch den 18. Dezember 2013
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Mit dem Z.ug von B.ern und infolge einer S.törung über die a.lte
S.trecke nach Z.ürich H.B und weiter mit dem G.larner S.printer bis N.äfels - M.ollis
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N.äfels ( G.L - 438m ) - F.ranziskaner - K.loster - R.autib.rugg ( G.L - 445m ) - E.ingang A.rtilleriew.erk N.iederb.erg - E.ntlang dem L.inthk.anal ( G.L - 442m ) - Z.iegelb.rücke
( S.G - 419m )
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Mit der S.2 von Z.iegelb.rücke nach Z.ürich und weiter nach B.ern
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Hurni131218 KantonGlarus
E - Mail : chrigu.hurni@bluemail.ch
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Letzte Aktualisierung - Ergänzung des Textes : 131223
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NIF
Orden:Anseriformes
Familia:Anatidae
Género:Aix
Nombre común: Pato mandarín macho
Nombre científico:Aix galericulata
Nombre en Ingles:Mandarín Duck male
Lugar de Captura. Beijing, China
Por: Cimarron mayor Panta.
VIDEO @= flic.kr/p/25ZMegU
Twelve males displaying to a single female
Skerries Co.Dublin 22-03-2018
[order] Anseriformes | [family] Anatidae | [latin] Melanitta nigra | [UK] Common Scoter | [FR] Macreuse noire | [DE] Trauerente | [ES] Negrón común | [IT] Orchetto marino | [NL] Zwarte Zee-eend | [IRL] Scótar
spanwidth min.: 130 cm
spanwidth max.: 155 cm
size min.: 48 cm
size max.: 58 cm
Breeding
incubation min.: 27 days
incubation max.: 29 days
fledging min.: 0 days
fledging max.: 0 days
broods 1
eggs min.: 10
eggs max.: 12
There has been a decline in breeding numbers since the 1970s - 96 pairs were estimated in 1995 and 80 in 1999. Eutrophication of the waters has reduced the species’ food supply which has resulted in poor productivity and juvenile survival. Mink predation has also had a considerable impact during the breeding season, and incubating females have been most vulnerable. However, in recent decades, it has been suggested that birds may be redistributing to other large lakes in western and central Ireland.
Status: Resident and winter visitor from the Continentto all Irish coasts between October and April.
Conservation Concern: Red-listed due to its declining breeding population. The European population has been evaluated as Secure.
Identification: Medium-sized, plump duck usually seen in large flocks offshore. At closer range, males with yellow knob at base of bill. All dark plumage, with no white on the wing. Males black, females sooty brown with paler cheeks.
Similar Species: Velvet Scoter and other ducks.
Call: Soft piping 'pju'.
Diet: During the summer the diet is varied and includes water plants, insect larvae and freshwater crustaceans. During the winter, they forage mostly in waters less than 20 m deep and with coarse sandy substrates. They feed predominantly on benthic bivalve molluscs.
Breeding: First recorded breeding in Ireland in the beginning of the 20th century at Lower Lough Erne. Numbers increased steadily - up to 150 pairs were estimated during the late 1960s. They nest on islands with dense covering of scrub and tree cover. The breedding population has declined since due to the increase in Mink, which predate the nests and young.
Wintering: Common Scoter are almost entirely marine during the winter, and tend to congregate in large flocks on shallow seas with sandy bottoms supporting their preferred prey.
Where to See: Wexford Bay in County Wexford, Castlemaine Harbour & Rossbehy in County Kerry, Brandon Bay - Inner Brandon Bay in County Kerry, Donegal Bay in County Donegal and from Ben Head to Skerries on the east coast are among the best wintering sites, supporting 800-4,500 birds.
Physical characteristics
Black Scoters are large, mostly black or dark gray sea ducks. Formerly called the Common Scoter, the Black Scoter is the least common of the three scoters. Adult males are solid black with a bulbous yellow knob on an otherwise black bill. Females and juveniles are dark gray, lighter on the cheek with a dark cap. Their bills are dark and lack the knob found in adult males.
Scoters spend the non-breeding part of the year in large flocks on the ocean. Black Scoters forage by diving and swimming under water, propelled by their feet. They usually feed in areas of open water, avoiding dense submergent or emergent vegetation. They swallow their prey under water, unless it is large or bulky. They are strong fliers, but must get a running start on the water to get airborne.
Habitat
The breeding range of the Black Scoter is at the edge of the northern forest or in the treeless tundra, where they breed on small, shallow lakes, ponds, sloughs, and river banks with tall grasses to conceal nests. In winter, they can be found on coastal bays and along coastlines, usually in shallow water within a mile of shore.
The kuruwhengi is quite ahrd to photograph. It is a shy duck, for the most aprt, avoids popular city ponds in favour of quieter waterways. It's a striking duck with a huge bill that seems almost too big for the head. The male is especially colourful.
Taken at otukaikino reserve, Christchurch, New Zealand.
Order: Anseriformes
Family: Anatidae
Shovelers are specialist filter-feeding waterfowl with a large spoon-shaped or shovel-shaped bill that is almost twice as broad at its tip than at its base and which is the bird’s most conspicuous feature. Fine lamellae extend along most of the edge of the upper mandible and it is by pushing water through this lamellae curtain that small plankton and fine seeds are extracted.
Kuruwhengi are sexually dimorphic. The males are highly coloured most of the year, when they have a blue-grey head and neck with a distinctive white crescentic band at the base of its large spatulate black bill. The breast is a mottled brown and white after breeding but becomes progressively pure white as the nuptial moult proceeds during May. Its chestnut flank is offset by a large white patch at the tail base. The eye is yellow and the legs bright orange. Females are uniformly mottled light brown with dull brown bill and eye, and brown-orange legs. In flight Australasian shovelers have a distinctive profile with a conspicuously large, indeed out of proportion, bill, sharp pointed wings and very rapid wingbeats. The blue, white and green patches on the upper wing contrast with the white underwing. Their flight, especially at takeoff, gives off a distinctive whirring soun. Shovelers are quiet ducks. Displaying or defensive drakes have a rapid, but low volume, train-like sound (chuff-chuff) call, and females sometimes quack. Kuruwhengi are widespread throughout the North and South Islands, rarely on Stewart Island, mainly on large freshwater wetlands (usually fairly coastal), but occasionally in sheltered estuaries. They also make seasonal use of dune lakes, temporary wetlands, drains and sewage ponds.
Shovelers perform spectacular communal courting and then pairs break off to find a secluded territory for nesting which occurs in October, which is later than for all other waterfowl. Males vigorously defend territory. Nests are usually situated in long grass near water. Clutches are of 5-13 (mean 10) white eggs and upon hatching the ducklings are raised solely by the female over about 8 weeks. Broods are rarely active or conspicuous during the day. (Source: NZ Birds Online)
The southern screamer (Chauna torquata), also known as the crested screamer, belongs to the order Anseriformes. It is found in southeastern Peru, northern Bolivia, Paraguay, southern Brazil, Uruguay and northern Argentina. Its diet consists of plants stems, seeds, leaves, and, rarely, small animals.
Common Shelduck (Gravand / Tadorna tadorna)
The photo was shot on a guided tour with ornithologists Cristina Fiol and Jose Luis Martínez. Check out ”http://nhs-balearswildlife.blogspot.no/p/guided-birdwatching-tours-mallorca.html". Highly recommended!
Salobrar, Campos (Mallorca, Islas Baleares, Spain).
Canon 60D, Sigma 150-500mm.
The photo is part of an Shelduck set.
Bull Island, Dublin 20th & 21st-May-2018
[order] Anseriformes | [family] Anatidae | [latin] Tadorna ferruginea | [UK] Ruddy Shelduck | [FR] Tadorne casarca | [DE] Rostgans | [ES] Tarro Canelo | [IT] Casarca ferruginea | [NL] Casarca
Measurements
spanwidth min.: 110 cm
spanwidth max.: 135 cm
size min.: 58 cm
size max.: 70 cm
Breeding
incubation min.: 28 days
incubation max.: 29 days
fledging min.: 51 days
fledging max.: 58 days
broods 1
eggs min.: 7
eggs max.: 10
Physical characteristics
Its main body colour is a variable orange-brown with a black rump and tail. Adult males have a cream head and neck, and a narrow black collar during the breeding season. Females have a paler, almost white patch on the face and do not have a black collar. Nests in rock recess, rock faces, ruins, buildings and on trees.
Habitat
Unlike Shelduck, has not extended range to maritime coastal habitats but occupies wider spectrum of inland biotopes, from coasts of inland seas and lakes, salt lagoons and marshes, rivers, streams, and pools, up to hills, high plateaux, and mountainous regions, reaching nearly 5000 m in Pamirs and Tibet. Dependence on water for resting and feeding less than for most Anatinae, although needs access to some, shallow and preferably saline. Often on unvegetated banks and in steppe or semi-desert, with only small pools or streams accessible. Breeding recorded several kilometres from water.
Other details
Tadorna ferruginea is a widespread breeder across much of south-eastern Europe, which accounts for less than a quarter of its global breeding range. Its European breeding population is relatively small (30%) over three generations.
A bird with a very fragmented distribution from north-western Africa and south-eastern Europe to Central Asia, as far East as Lake Baykal and Mongolia. A small population also exists in Ethiopia. The birds of north-western Africa formerly also used to visit southern Spain in winter, but in this country observations are currently only sporadic. In the European Union the species is today only occurring in Greece. These birds belong to the population of the Black Sea and Eastern Mediterranean, which has undergone a strong decline during the twentieth century, but seems currently to be quite stable. It is estimated at 20000 individuals
Feeding
Omnivorous; plant material probably predominates, but proportions vary with locality and season. On land, where feeds more often than Shelduck, plucks vegetation and picks up seeds and invertebrates. Also grubs in wet soil, and dabbles and up-ends in shallow water.
Conservation
This species has a large range, with an estimated global Extent of Occurrence of 1,000,000-10,000,000 km². It has a large global population estimated to be 170,000-220,000 individuals (Wetlands International 2002). Global population trends have not been quantified, but the species is not believed to approach the thresholds for the population decline criterion of the IUCN Red List (i.e. declining more than 30% in ten years or three generations). For these reasons, the species is evaluated as Least Concern. [conservation status from birdlife.org]
Breeding
Eggs are laid from mid-March to early may. The nests are holes in sand or clay banks, either natural or excavated by another animal; in abandoned buildings and farm sheds. In hollow trees up to 10 m above ground, crevices in rocks and cliffs, rarely on cliff ledge in the open. Nest is a shallow depression lined with down, occasionally a little grass is incorporated. Clutch size is 8-9 eggs, ranging from 6-12. This species incubates only one brood. Incubation period anges from 28-29 days and the young fldge after about 55 days.
Migration
Mainly dispersive or nomadic, but some migratory, especially from northern parts of breeding range. North African population, which formerly (to c. 1970s) wintered regularly in Spain, no longer migrates northward to Europe. Southward dispersal by some breeders of Balkans and Black Sea countries.
Orden:Anseriformes
Familia:Anatidae
Género:Anas
NOMBRES COMUNES:Pato cuchareta,Cuchara Común, Cuchareta, Pato Chucara, pato chucharón-norteño, Pato Cuchara, Pato cuchara común, Pato Cuchareta, Pato Cucharo, pato cucharón norteño, Pato Cucharón-norteño, Pato pico de cuchara macho
Nombre cientifico: Spatula clypeata
Nombre ingles: Northern Shoveler male
Lugar de captura:
Por: Cimarron mayor Panta.
Portugal 01-10-2019
[order] Anseriformes | [family] Anatidae | [latin] Anas strepera | [UK] Gadwall | [FR] Canard chipeau | [DE] Schnatterente | [ES] Ánade Friso | [IT] Canapiglia | [NL] Krakeend | [IRL] Gadual
spanwidth min.: 78 cm
spanwidth max.: 90 cm
size min.: 46 cm
size max.: 56 cm
Breeding
incubation min.: 24 days
incubation max.: 26 days
fledging min.: 45 days
fledging max.: 50 days
broods 1
eggs min.: 8
eggs max.: 12
Anas strepera
Gadual
Status: Scarce resident at wetlands mainly in the south and east of Ireland.
Conservation Concern: Amber-listed due to its small breeding population, as well as the localised wintering population (less than ten sites). The European population of Gadwall has been assessed as Depleted, due to a large historical decline.
Identification: Large, but slightly smaller than Mallard. Small white speculum prominent in adult male. Males with brown head, black stern and grey body. Females similar to Mallard, though whitish belly, small white speculum, an orange, even stripe along the cutting edge of the bill.
Similar Species: Mallard and other duck species.
Call: Males with short, croaking 'ahrk' and high-pitched whistling 'pee' in courtship. Females with quacking call similar to Mallard.
Diet: They feed on a mixed diet of seeds, insects and aquatic vegetation.
Breeding: Nest on a variety of freshwater and brackish wetlands, especially shallow lakes with abundant emergent vegetation, slow moving rivers and marshes.
Wintering: Localised wintering distribution at a variety of inland and coastal sites.
Where to See: Loughs Neagh & Beg in County Antrim, Tacumshin Lake in County Wexford, Lady's Island Lake in County Wexford, Strangford Lough in County Down and the Corofin Wetlands in County Clare are among the top sites (each supporting 80- 150 birds).
Physical characteristics
Gadwalls are medium-sized ducks characterized by a general lack of bright coloration. Males are gray-brown, with a white belly, and a black rump. In flight, a white speculum and chestnut and black portions on the wing coverts are displayed. The bill is slate-gray and the legs and feet are yellow. The male utters a short "nheck" and a low whistle. Female gadwalls are similar to males, but have a mottled brown appearance, a yellowish bill with dark spots, and a smaller white speculum. She utters a repeated "gag-ag-ag-ag-ag" higher in pitch than the mallard.
Habitat
Female gadwall nest in fields and meadows, and on islands and dikes in wetlands. They are found in reservoirs, farm ponds, and coastal fresh and brackish marshes.
Other details
A species breeding in the temperate regions of North America and Eurasia. The breeding populations of the western parts of the European Union are more or less sedentary, but they are increased in winter by migratory birds from the Baltic region. This population is totalling 30000 individuals, and seems to have increased during the last decades (Scott & Rose). The birds breeding in Greece or visiting Greece in winter belong to a more oriental population, estimated at 75000-150000 individuals but currently declining
Feeding
Aquatic vegetation makes up the majority of the gadwall's diet. As a result, they are often found feeding far from the shoreline, in deeper water than most other dabbling ducks. Gadwall up-end to feed on leafy portions of pondweeds, naiad, widgeon grass, water milfoil, and algae and the seeds of pondweeds, smartweeds, bulrush, and spike rush. They also feed on aquatic invertebrates, such as crustaceans and midges.
Breeding
Gadwall breed near seasonal and semi-permanent wetlands, mainly in the shortgrass, tallgrass, and mixed prairie regions of the US and Canada. Substantial numbers also breed in wetland habitats of the Great Basin. Gadwall tend to begin breeding later than most ducks. Female gadwall nest in fields and meadows, and on islands and dikes in wetlands and lay an average of 7 to 12 eggs.
Migration
Partially migratory; northernmost breeding birds descend to lower latitudes in winter, but breeders of more temperate regions mostly sedentary.
Mute Swan, Order Anseriformes, Family Anatidae, Species Cygnus olor,..
A large, familiar bird, strikingly white and obvious even at great range, Mute Swan is generally quite tame, even semi-domesticated in its behaviour and choice of habitat.
Territorial pairs are aggressive, even to people or their dogs, using impressive displays of arched wings and loud, hissing calls.
In some floodplains, small groups regularly feed on dry land, a habit that is more consistent with the two " wild swans ", Bewick's and Whooper,
Voice - Strangled trumpeting and hissing notes,
Nesting - Huge pile of vegetation at water's edge; up to 8 eggs; 1 brood; March - June.
Feeding - Plucks vegetable matter from short grass in fields and salt marshes, pulls the same from shallow water, or upends in deeper water,..
Length 1.4 - 1.6m,
Wingspan - 2,08 - 2.38m,
Weight - 10 - 12kg,
Lifespan - 15 - 20 years,
Social - Small flocks,
Status - Secure,..
Skerries Co.Dublin 09-04-2021
Scientific classification
Kingdom:Animalia
Phylum:Chordata
Class:Aves
Order:Anseriformes
Family:Anatidae
Genus:Somateria
Species:S. mollissima
Binomial name
Somateria mollissima
[order] Anseriformes | [family] Anatidae | [latin] Somateria mollissima | [UK] Eider | [FR] Eider à duvet | [DE] Eiderente | [ES] Eider | [IT] Edredone | [NL] Eider | [IRL] Éadar
spanwidth min.: 95 cm
spanwidth max.: 105 cm
size min.: 60 cm
size max.: 70 cm
Breeding
incubation min.: 25 days
incubation max.: 28 days
fledging min.: 65 days
fledging max.: 75 days
broods 1
eggs min.: 4
eggs max.: 7
Status: Resident along rocky coasts in the north and north-west of Ireland.
Conservation Concern: Amber-listed in Ireland due to the majority of Eiders wintering at less than ten sites.The European population is regarded as Secure.
Identification: Large and heavy-built, with short neck, large head, long wedge-shaped bill. Birds seen in irregular - loose clusters. Males largely white with black belly, sides and stern. Head white with black crown, and pale green on sides of the nape.
Similar Species: Adult male is unmistakable. Females and immature resemble other duck species.
Call: Male with cooing display-call, and a far carrying 'a-ooh-e'.
Diet: They generally feed by diving in waters up to 20 m depth, feeding predominantly on mussels, other molluscs, crustaceans and echinoderms.
Breeding: Eider nest colonially on offshore islets, along low-lying coast, usually where the threat of mammalian predation is minimal. Eider seldom occur far from the sea throughout the year. They breed around the coast of Scotland and northern England and along the north and northwest coasts of Ireland. Up to 100 pairs have been estimated in Ireland.
Wintering: Occurs on shallow, inshore coastal waters, near estuary mouths mostly along the northwest and northeast coastlines.
Where to See: Belfast Lough in County Down and Outer Ards in County Down regularly supports almost 1,000 & 500 birds respectively. Lough Foyle in County Derry, Strangford Lough in County Down, Larne Lough in County Antrim and the Streedagh Estuary in County Sligo and other well-used wintering sites on the east coast, including estuaries and inlets between Dundalk and Skerries in north Dublin.
Physical characteristics
The Common Eider Somateria mollissima is the largest duck in the northern hemisphere. It weighs an average of 1 800 g, but its weight can vary from 850 to 3 025 g depending on race, sex, and time of year. There are four Common Eider races in North America; subtle differences in body size and bill structure distinguish each race from the other.
The plumage of the Common Eider varies considerably. It passes through several stages while the bird is growing to maturity, and after the bird reaches adulthood at about three years old, the plumage alternates between two colours each year as a result of moulting, or the replacement of old feathers with new. In addition, the male's plumage differs from the female's.
Between the ages of three weeks and three years, male Common Eiders moult their feathers eight times, changing their colour from a juvenile blackish brown to an adult olive-brown and white in winter and a striking black and white, with a small area of light emerald green on the back and sides of the head, during the breeding season. Changes in female plumage are less dramatic: from a juvenile blackish brown, the duck becomes rusty-to-tan. The female's summer colours provide good camouflage in the vegetation and rocks of the offshore islands on which she breeds.
Common Eiders can live 20 years, one of the longest lifespans among sea ducks. However, the expected lifespan for eider populations which are heavily harvested may be much shorter.
Habitat
Of all sea ducks, the Common Eider is the most closely tied to marine habitat. It lives in arctic and subarctic coastal marine areas, where it frequents coastal headlands, offshore islands, skerries, and shoals. The Common Eider rarely leaves the water in the winter, and some races remain as far north as there is open water. The seven races of Common Eiders have different breeding ranges. In North America the southern race Somateria mollissima dresseri breeds from Maine to Hamilton Inlet on the Labrador coast; the northern race Somateria mollissima borealis breeds from northern Labrador to Ellesmere Island in the eastern Canadian Arctic; the Hudson Bay race Somateria mollissima sedentaria remains all year within Hudson Bay; and the Pacific race Somateria mollissima v-nigra breeds from Coronation Gulf in the MacKenzie District of the Northwest Territories to the south side of the Alaskan peninsula. Three subspecies are found outside North America: one in northwest Europe, one in Iceland and a third in the Faeroe Islands north of Great Britain.
The Common Eider belongs to the sea duck tribe (Mergini), which contains closely related ducks, all of which use marine habitats to some degree. The King Eider Somateria spectabilis, Spectacled Eider Somateria fischeri, and Common Eider all belong to the same genus, and hybridization is known to occur between Common and King Eiders. Eider ducks are gregarious, travelling and feeding in flocks numbering from tens to thousands.
Other details
This mainly marine species is breeding on arctic islands, in the north-west and extreme east of Eurasia and in North America. Some populations are sedentary. Others are migratory, wintering mainly in Denmark, northern Germany and the Netherlands, but reaching the Atlantic coasts of France. A few birds are seen in Central Europe and the western Mediterranean. The population of north-western Europe is totalling 1.7 to 2.3 millions of individuals (Scott & Rose). A few birds also reach Greece. They probably belong to a small population inhabiting the Ukrainian shores of the Black Sea
Mute Swan, Order Anseriformes, Family Anatidae, Species Cygnus olor,..
A large, familiar bird, strikingly white and obvious even at great range, Mute Swan is generally quite tame, even semi-domesticated in its behaviour and choice of habitat.
Territorial pairs are aggressive, even to people or their dogs, using impressive displays of arched wings and loud, hissing calls.
In some floodplains, small groups regularly feed on dry land, a habit that is more consistent with the two " wild swans ", Bewick's and Whooper,
Voice - Strangled trumpeting and hissing notes,
Nesting - Huge pile of vegetation at water's edge; up to 8 eggs; 1 brood; March - June.
Feeding - Plucks vegetable matter from short grass in fields and salt marshes, pulls the same from shallow water, or upends in deeper water,..
Length 1.4 - 1.6m,
Wingspan - 2,08 - 2.38m,
Weight - 10 - 12kg,
Lifespan - 15 - 20 years,
Social - Small flocks,
Status - Secure,..
Grange Castle Business Park, Kilmahuddrick Co. Dublin
19-03-2020
[order] Anseriformes | [family] Anatidae | [latin] Netta rufina | [UK] Red-crested Pochard | [FR] Nette rousse | [DE] Kolbenente | [ES] Pato Colorado | [IT] Fistione turco | [NL] Krooneend
Measurements
spanwidth min.: 85 cm
spanwidth max.: 90 cm
size min.: 53 cm
size max.: 57 cm
Breeding
incubation min.: 26 days
incubation max.: 28 days
fledging min.: 45 days
fledging max.: 50 days
broods 1
eggs min.: 7
eggs max.: 11
[order] Anseriformes | [family] Anatidae | [latin] Branta canadensis | [UK] Canada Goose | [FR] Bernache du Canada | [DE] Kanadagans | [ES] Barnacla Canadiense | [IT] Oca del Canada | [NL] Grote Canadese Gans
Measurements
spanwidth min.: 160 cm
spanwidth max.: 175 cm
size min.: 90 cm
size max.: 100 cm
Breeding
incubation min.: 28 days
incubation max.: 30 days
fledging min.: 40 days
fledging max.: 48 days
broods 1
eggs min.: 4
eggs max.: 7
Physical characteristics
Many people can recognize a Canada Goose Branta canadensis by its characteristic black head, white cheek patches, and long black neck. However, there are several different races, so a Canada Goose in one region may be quite different from a Canada Goose in another. Although there has been some disagreement about the exact number of races of Canada Geese, most scientists believe that there are 11.
Members of the different races range in size from one of the smallest geese, the Cackling Canada Goose, which can weigh as little as 1.1 kg, to the largest of all geese, the Giant Canada Goose, which can weigh up to 8 kg. Wingspans vary between about 90 cm and 2 m. The underparts range in colour from light pearl-grey to chestnut, and even blackish brown. Differences in body proportions, particularly the relative length of the neck, the body shape, and the body stance, further distinguish the different races. In general, the larger the bird, the longer the neck and the more elongated the body.
Newly hatched Canada Geese have a coat of yellow to olive down that darkens to dull grey over the first few weeks of life. As the birds grow, feathers gradually cover the down, and by the time the young geese are ready to fly in late summer, they are nearly indistinguishable from their parents. From that point on, both males and females look the same throughout the year.
Habitat
You can find Canada Geese on almost any type of wetland, from small ponds to large lakes and rivers. However, Canada Geese spend as much or more time on land as they do in water.
Canada Geese breed in a wide range of habitats. They prefer low-lying areas with great expanses of wet grassy meadows and an abundance of ponds and lakes that serve as refuges from foxes and other land predators. The most northerly geese breed on the treeless tundra of the Arctic. Below the treeline, the geese nest in the open boreal forest, with its scattered stands of stunted spruce and tamarack. Nesting Canada Geese are at home in many places, from sheltered mountain streams and prairie pothole ponds to golf courses and urban parks. During fall and winter, Canada Geese favour agricultural land where vast fields of cereal grains and other crops provide abundant food and relative safety from predators.
Other details
This species from North America has been introduced in England since the middle of the 17th century and in Sweden since 1933. It has now colonised northern France, Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany. The population of the European Union is totalling 30000-35000 breeding pairs, and, despite being considered a pest in many areas, it is still introduced in some new areas
Feeding
Unlike many waterfowl species that feed mainly in aquatic environments, Canada Geese feed mostly on land. In spring and summer, they mostly graze on the leaves of grassy plants, but they also eat a wide variety of leaves, flowers, stems, roots, seeds, and berries. The geese must consume large quantities of food to obtain the nutrients they need, and they frequently spend 12 hours a day or more feeding. During the winter, Canada Geese often feed in fields where they find an abundance of spilled corn, oats, soybeans, and other crops. When such energy-rich foods are available, they often feed in the fields for a few hours in early morning and late afternoon and spend the rest of the day resting in safety on a lake or large river. Some Canada Geese graze on lawns, in parks, and on golf courses.
Spring is a very energetically demanding time in a goose's life, especially for breeding females. Canada Geese feed intensively during the few weeks before they leave southern agricultural areas to prepare for a period with little food when they first arrive on the northern breeding grounds. They will need sufficient reserves of fat and protein to complete migration, produce a clutch of eggs, and survive for about one month of incubation.
Conservation
Branta canadensis has a large range, breeding across tundra in much of Canada, Alaska (USA), and parts of the northern USA, and wintering in southern North America, including Mexico. Introduced populations are now resident in much of the USA south of the normal breeding range, as well as in a number of western European countries. It has an estimated global Extent of Occurrence of >10,000,000 km2, and has a correspondingly large global population, estimated at 1,000,000-10,000,000 individuals. Although hunting and other direct mortality takes a substantial toll, this species has increased its range and population since the 1940s1, and is thus evaluated as Least Concern. [conservation status from birdlife.org]
Breeding
The Canada Geese breed earlier in the season than many birds. Breeding is timed so that the eggs hatch when the plants that the goslings, or young geese, eat have their highest nutritional value. The hatch date also allows enough time for the goslings to grow big enough to fly south before freeze-up. Canada Geese that breed in temperate areas, with mild temperatures, begin nesting as soon as conditions are favourable in spring, in some cases as early as mid-March. Canada Geese that breed in the north reach nesting areas in late April or early May, later for Arctic breeders.
Some Canada Geese breed when they are one year old, but the vast majority do not nest for the first time until they are at least two or three. Usually five to seven eggs are laid, with older birds producing more eggs than birds nesting for the first time. The female incubates the eggs for 25 to 28 days while the male stands guard nearby. In some cases, he may be several hundred metres from the nest but is always vigilant and joins the female if the nest is threatened or if she leaves the nest. During the incubation period the female leaves the nest only briefly each day to feed and drink and bathe.
Most nest sites are located near water and often on islands. Nest sites are chosen to offer some protection from exposure to wind while giving the incubating female a clear line of sight to detect approaching predators. Female Canada Geese always return to nest in the same area where their parents nested and often use the same nest site year after year.
Soon after the young have hatched, families leave their nests, sometimes walking several kilometres in a few days to reach their brood-rearing area. If the geese have nested near the seacoast, they may descend the rivers to more favourable coastal marsh areas. From the moment they leave the nest, goslings feed on grasses and sedges in meadows and along shorelines.
A pair and its goslings are an almost inseparable troupe, acting in unison. Usually the female leads the way, followed by the young, with the gander, or male, bringing up the rear. When another goose family ventures too close, both the parents and young assume threatening postures and make a lot of noise. Numbers and not the size or weight of the adults seems to be decisive-large families almost always defeat small families, which in turn defeat pairs without young. Most encounters are settled without physical contact, and prolonged fights are rare.
From six to nine weeks after hatching, depending on the race, the birds are ready to take to the air as a family unit. By this time, only about half of the goslings that hatched still survive. In the north, Canada Geese feed on berries and put on a layer of fat before their southward migration. Prior to migration, the families come together into groups of a few to several dozen families, often in coastal areas. The last of the Canada Geese linger along northern shores until early October.
ORDEN: Anseriformes.
FAMILIA: Anatidae.
N. Comun: Pato Colorado.
N. Cientifico: Anas cyanoptera.
N. Ingles: Cinnamon Teal.
Captura: Batuco, R. Metropolitana.
Habitat: II a la XII Region. Chile
Orden:Anseriformes
Familia:Anatidae
Nombre común: Yaguaza barriga prieta,Pato silvador panza negra.
Nombre científico:Dendrocyna autumnalis.
Nombre inglés:Black -bellied Whistling- Duck.
Captura: Wakodahatchee Wetlands, Palm Beach County, Florida, USA.
Canada geese fly past loblolly pines Chesapeake Bay Environmental Center in Grasonville, Md., on Feb. 14, 2011. (Photo by Alicia Pimental/Chesapeake Bay Program)
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Portugal 01-10-2019
[order] Anseriformes | [family] Anatidae | [latin] Anas strepera | [UK] Gadwall | [FR] Canard chipeau | [DE] Schnatterente | [ES] Ánade Friso | [IT] Canapiglia | [NL] Krakeend | [IRL] Gadual
spanwidth min.: 78 cm
spanwidth max.: 90 cm
size min.: 46 cm
size max.: 56 cm
Breeding
incubation min.: 24 days
incubation max.: 26 days
fledging min.: 45 days
fledging max.: 50 days
broods 1
eggs min.: 8
eggs max.: 12
Anas strepera
Gadual
Status: Scarce resident at wetlands mainly in the south and east of Ireland.
Conservation Concern: Amber-listed due to its small breeding population, as well as the localised wintering population (less than ten sites). The European population of Gadwall has been assessed as Depleted, due to a large historical decline.
Identification: Large, but slightly smaller than Mallard. Small white speculum prominent in adult male. Males with brown head, black stern and grey body. Females similar to Mallard, though whitish belly, small white speculum, an orange, even stripe along the cutting edge of the bill.
Similar Species: Mallard and other duck species.
Call: Males with short, croaking 'ahrk' and high-pitched whistling 'pee' in courtship. Females with quacking call similar to Mallard.
Diet: They feed on a mixed diet of seeds, insects and aquatic vegetation.
Breeding: Nest on a variety of freshwater and brackish wetlands, especially shallow lakes with abundant emergent vegetation, slow moving rivers and marshes.
Wintering: Localised wintering distribution at a variety of inland and coastal sites.
Where to See: Loughs Neagh & Beg in County Antrim, Tacumshin Lake in County Wexford, Lady's Island Lake in County Wexford, Strangford Lough in County Down and the Corofin Wetlands in County Clare are among the top sites (each supporting 80- 150 birds).
Physical characteristics
Gadwalls are medium-sized ducks characterized by a general lack of bright coloration. Males are gray-brown, with a white belly, and a black rump. In flight, a white speculum and chestnut and black portions on the wing coverts are displayed. The bill is slate-gray and the legs and feet are yellow. The male utters a short "nheck" and a low whistle. Female gadwalls are similar to males, but have a mottled brown appearance, a yellowish bill with dark spots, and a smaller white speculum. She utters a repeated "gag-ag-ag-ag-ag" higher in pitch than the mallard.
Habitat
Female gadwall nest in fields and meadows, and on islands and dikes in wetlands. They are found in reservoirs, farm ponds, and coastal fresh and brackish marshes.
Other details
A species breeding in the temperate regions of North America and Eurasia. The breeding populations of the western parts of the European Union are more or less sedentary, but they are increased in winter by migratory birds from the Baltic region. This population is totalling 30000 individuals, and seems to have increased during the last decades (Scott & Rose). The birds breeding in Greece or visiting Greece in winter belong to a more oriental population, estimated at 75000-150000 individuals but currently declining
Feeding
Aquatic vegetation makes up the majority of the gadwall's diet. As a result, they are often found feeding far from the shoreline, in deeper water than most other dabbling ducks. Gadwall up-end to feed on leafy portions of pondweeds, naiad, widgeon grass, water milfoil, and algae and the seeds of pondweeds, smartweeds, bulrush, and spike rush. They also feed on aquatic invertebrates, such as crustaceans and midges.
Breeding
Gadwall breed near seasonal and semi-permanent wetlands, mainly in the shortgrass, tallgrass, and mixed prairie regions of the US and Canada. Substantial numbers also breed in wetland habitats of the Great Basin. Gadwall tend to begin breeding later than most ducks. Female gadwall nest in fields and meadows, and on islands and dikes in wetlands and lay an average of 7 to 12 eggs.
Migration
Partially migratory; northernmost breeding birds descend to lower latitudes in winter, but breeders of more temperate regions mostly sedentary.
Portugal 01-10-2019
[order] Anseriformes | [family] Anatidae | [latin] Anas strepera | [UK] Gadwall | [FR] Canard chipeau | [DE] Schnatterente | [ES] Ánade Friso | [IT] Canapiglia | [NL] Krakeend | [IRL] Gadual
spanwidth min.: 78 cm
spanwidth max.: 90 cm
size min.: 46 cm
size max.: 56 cm
Breeding
incubation min.: 24 days
incubation max.: 26 days
fledging min.: 45 days
fledging max.: 50 days
broods 1
eggs min.: 8
eggs max.: 12
Anas strepera
Gadual
Status: Scarce resident at wetlands mainly in the south and east of Ireland.
Conservation Concern: Amber-listed due to its small breeding population, as well as the localised wintering population (less than ten sites). The European population of Gadwall has been assessed as Depleted, due to a large historical decline.
Identification: Large, but slightly smaller than Mallard. Small white speculum prominent in adult male. Males with brown head, black stern and grey body. Females similar to Mallard, though whitish belly, small white speculum, an orange, even stripe along the cutting edge of the bill.
Similar Species: Mallard and other duck species.
Call: Males with short, croaking 'ahrk' and high-pitched whistling 'pee' in courtship. Females with quacking call similar to Mallard.
Diet: They feed on a mixed diet of seeds, insects and aquatic vegetation.
Breeding: Nest on a variety of freshwater and brackish wetlands, especially shallow lakes with abundant emergent vegetation, slow moving rivers and marshes.
Wintering: Localised wintering distribution at a variety of inland and coastal sites.
Where to See: Loughs Neagh & Beg in County Antrim, Tacumshin Lake in County Wexford, Lady's Island Lake in County Wexford, Strangford Lough in County Down and the Corofin Wetlands in County Clare are among the top sites (each supporting 80- 150 birds).
Physical characteristics
Gadwalls are medium-sized ducks characterized by a general lack of bright coloration. Males are gray-brown, with a white belly, and a black rump. In flight, a white speculum and chestnut and black portions on the wing coverts are displayed. The bill is slate-gray and the legs and feet are yellow. The male utters a short "nheck" and a low whistle. Female gadwalls are similar to males, but have a mottled brown appearance, a yellowish bill with dark spots, and a smaller white speculum. She utters a repeated "gag-ag-ag-ag-ag" higher in pitch than the mallard.
Habitat
Female gadwall nest in fields and meadows, and on islands and dikes in wetlands. They are found in reservoirs, farm ponds, and coastal fresh and brackish marshes.
Other details
A species breeding in the temperate regions of North America and Eurasia. The breeding populations of the western parts of the European Union are more or less sedentary, but they are increased in winter by migratory birds from the Baltic region. This population is totalling 30000 individuals, and seems to have increased during the last decades (Scott & Rose). The birds breeding in Greece or visiting Greece in winter belong to a more oriental population, estimated at 75000-150000 individuals but currently declining
Feeding
Aquatic vegetation makes up the majority of the gadwall's diet. As a result, they are often found feeding far from the shoreline, in deeper water than most other dabbling ducks. Gadwall up-end to feed on leafy portions of pondweeds, naiad, widgeon grass, water milfoil, and algae and the seeds of pondweeds, smartweeds, bulrush, and spike rush. They also feed on aquatic invertebrates, such as crustaceans and midges.
Breeding
Gadwall breed near seasonal and semi-permanent wetlands, mainly in the shortgrass, tallgrass, and mixed prairie regions of the US and Canada. Substantial numbers also breed in wetland habitats of the Great Basin. Gadwall tend to begin breeding later than most ducks. Female gadwall nest in fields and meadows, and on islands and dikes in wetlands and lay an average of 7 to 12 eggs.
Migration
Partially migratory; northernmost breeding birds descend to lower latitudes in winter, but breeders of more temperate regions mostly sedentary.
Tolka River Valley Park (TRVP)
Finglas/Cabra Dublin
Ireland 07-05-2021
order] Anseriformes | [family] Anatidae | [latin] Aythya fuligula | [UK] Tufted Duck | [FR] Fuligule morillon | [DE] Reiherente | [ES] Porrón Moñudo | [IT] Moretta eurasiatica | [NL] Kuifeend
Measurements
spanwidth min.: 65 cm
spanwidth max.: 72 cm
size min.: 40 cm
size max.: 47 cm
Breeding
incubation min.: 23 days
incubation max.: 28 days
fledging min.: 45 days
fledging max.: 50 days
broods 1
eggs min.: 8
eggs max.: 15
Physical characteristics
Male tufted ducks closely resemble their counterparts in ring-necked ducks. The principle difference is the tuft of feathers that fall behind the head. In addition, the sides are white rather than gray, the bill lacks a white margin at the base, and in flight a white stripe at the back of the inner wing is displayed. The female tufted duck is similar in appearance to female scaup, but is black-brown with a smaller patch of white at the base of the bill. At the back of the head, there is a small protuberance of feathers, which is much smaller than the males.
Habitat
Their breeding habitat is close to marshes and lakes with plenty of vegetation to conceal the nest. They are also found on coastal lagoons, the seashore, and sheltered ponds.
Other details
This duck has a wide distribution in northern Eurasia, from Iceland to Kamchatka and between 45°N and 70°N. European populations winter southwards to North Africa, and only a small number of individuals reach sub-Saharan Africa. The birds of the south-west of the distribution area seem to be sedentary however. In the European Union the main wintering grounds are centred on the Baltic Sea, the Netherlands and the lakes of Central Europe. The population of north-western Europe is totalling 1000000 individuals. The population of Central Europe, the Black Sea and the Mediterranean is estimated at 600000 individuals. Both populations have undergone a definite increase during the last decades
Feeding
Tufted ducks dive to feed on roots, seeds, and buds of aquatic plants and clams, snails, aquatic insects, and sometimes amphibians and small fishes. They also skim flies and duckweeds on the water surface.
Conservation
This species has a large range, with an estimated global Extent of Occurrence of 10,000,000 km². It has a large global population estimated to be 2,700,000-4,100,000 individuals (Wetlands International 2002). Global population trends have not been quantified, but the species is not believed to approach the thresholds for the population decline criterion of the IUCN Red List (i.e. declining more than 30% in ten years or three generations). For these reasons, the species is evaluated as Least Concern. [conservation status from birdlife.org]
Breeding
Tufted ducks breed across Eurasia from Iceland and the British Isles east across Russia and Siberia to the Kamchatka Peninsula and the Commander Islands. There are no breeding records of tufted ducks in North America. Female tufted ducks nest on islands in lakes or on sloped banks of small wetlands in reeds, tufts of grass, or under bushes close to water and lay an average of 9 eggs.
Migration
Partially migratory; winters Central and NE Europe (where chiefly sedentary), Mediterranean basin, N and sub-Saharan Africa, SW USSR, Middle East, Indian Subcontinent, SE Asia (to Philippines) and Japan. Occasionally in Alaska and North America (mainly W Coast)