Long-tailed duck

Clangula hyemalis

Photo by Wolfgang Wander (Wikipedia)

Common name:
long-tailed duck (en); pato-de-cauda-afilada (pt); harelde kakawi (fr); pato havelda (es); eisente (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Anseriformes
Family Anatidae

Range:
This species breeds in northernmost latitudes of Eurasia and North America, from Iceland, Scandinavia and the Baltic, throughout northern Russia, and into Alaska, northern Canada and western and southern Greenland. They migrate south along the coasts of the Atlantic and the Pacific, as far south as the British Isles, Korea and northern Japan, south-western British Columbia and Virginia.

Size:
These birds are sexually dimorphic, with males being larger than females. The males are 51-60 cm long, including the 15 cm long tail, and weigh 650-900 g. Females are 37-47 cm long and weigh 550-800g. They have a wingspan of 73-79 cm.

Habitat:
The long-tailed duck breeds on small tundra lakes, pools, bogs, rivers, tundra grasslands and coastal sites of the high Arctic. Outside the breeding season they are mostly found at sea, usually in shallow offshore waters, but also in estuaries, brackish lagoons and freshwater lakes.

Diet:
They feed mainly on crustaceans, molluscs, and other marine invertebrates such as echinoderms and worms, but also fishes, insects and plant material such as algae, grasses, and the seeds and fruits of tundra plants.

Breeding:
Long-tailed ducks are monogamous and breed in May-August. They nest in a bowl-shaped scrape on the ground, made by the female and lined with grasses, leaves and feather down. It is usually placed on dry ground, hidden among rocks or under plant growth. The female lays 5-10 pale grey to olive eggs, which she incubates alone for 24-30 days while the male helps defend the nest. During the incubation period the males leave and begin moulting, and female must finish incubation alone. The chicks leave the nest soon after hatching and are able to feed themselves, but rely on the females for protection. They start flying at 35-40 days of age. They reach sexual maturity at 2 years of age.

Conservation:
IUCN status - VU (Vulnerable)
This species has a very large breeding range and a global population estimated at 6,2-6,8 million individuals, but the population has declined dramatically in recent decades, especially in the Baltic, overall possibly declining by 50% over the last 3 decades. The long-tailed duck is threatened by wetland habitat degradation and loss from petroleum pollution, wetland drainage and peat-extraction, while also suffering direct mortality from oil pollution, drowning through entanglement in fishing nets, hunting on migration routes over certain regions of the Arctic, and outbreaks of avian cholera. Changes in the natural cycles of the Arctic, due to climate change, have also possibly reduced the breeding success of this species, as declines in rodent populations force predators to increase pressure on young birds.

American black duck

Anas rubripes

Photo by Ed Post (Flickr)

Common name:
American black duck (en); pato-escuro-americano (pt); canard noir (fr); ánade sombrío (es); dunkelente (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Anseriformes
Family Anatidae

Range:
This species breeds in north-eastern North American, in Canada from northern Saskatchewan to Newfoundland, and south to Minnesota, Illinois, Pennsylvania and North Carolina in the United States. The population from Canada migrate south to winter throughout the eastern United States down to the Gulf Coast.

Size:
These birds are 53-61 cm long and have a wingspan of 95-96 cm. Females tend to be smaller than males, weighing 720-1.380 g, while males weigh 820-1.760 g.

Habitat:
The American black duck breeds in freshwater wetlands, including lakes, beaver ponds, streams, boreal bogs and woody swamps, favouring areas bordered by trees. Outside the breeding season they also use brackish and saltwater wetlands, including saltmarshes, estuaries and coastal lagoons, as well as agricultural fields.

Diet:They feed on the seeds, roots ,stems and leaves of aquatic and crop plants, as well as aquatic insects such as larvae of mayflies, caddisflies, dragonflies, flies, midges and beetles, crustaceans, molluscs and sometimes fish.


Breeding:
American black ducks are monogamous and breed in March-June. The female builds the nest alone, a scrape on the ground lined with grass, twigs, leaves, stems, conifer needles and down feathers, usually hidden among vegetation or sometimes in a tree cavity. There she lays 7-12 eggs which she incubates alone for 23-33 days. The male remains with the female for the first 2 weeks of incubation, helping defend the nest. The chicks leave the nest within 1-3 hours of hatching and follow the mother to a rearing area which is abundant in invertebrates and vegetative cover. They start flying about 60 days after hatching and reach sexual maturity at 1 year of age.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a very large breeding range and the global population is currently estimated at 715.200-1.274.000 individuals. The population has possibly declined by about 50% since the 1950s, but the rate of decline became slower in recent decades. The main threats affecting the American black duck are hunting, competition and hybridization with mallards Anas platyrhynchos, wetland pollution and lead poisoning.

Coscoroba swan

Coscoroba coscoroba

Photo by Cláudio Timm (Flickr)

Common name:
coscoroba swan (en); capororoca (pt); coscoroba blanc (fr); cisne coscoroba (es); coscorobaschwan (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Anseriformes
Family Anatidae

Range:
This species breeds throughout most of Argentina, south-eastern Chile and in the Falklands. The more southern population from Argentina and Chile migrate north to winter along the central coast of Chile, and in northern Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay and southern Brazil as far north as São Paulo.

Size:
These birds are 90-115 cm long and have a wingspan of 155-160 cm. Males tend to be larger than females, weighing 3,8-5,4 kg while females weigh 3,1-4,5 kg.

Habitat:
The coscoroba swan is found in freshwater lakes and swamps, favouring wetlands with well-vegetated margins.

Diet:
They are omnivorous, taking both vegetable matter such as grass and aquatic plants, and small aquatic invertebrates and fishes.

Breeding:
Coscoroba swans breed in May-December, varying among different parts of their range. They are monogamous and mate for life, nesting in solitary pairs or in small colonies. The nest is a large mound of aquatic plants, lined with grasses and down, and placed in a small islands, among reedbeds or in tall grasses, always near water. The female lays 4-7 eggs, which she incubates alone for 28-36 days. The chicks leave the nest soon after hatching and are able to swim and feed themselves, being protected from predators by both parents. They reach sexual maturity at 3 years of age.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a very large breeding range and the global population is estimated at 6.700-17.000 individuals. The population is suspected to be stable in the absence of evidence for any declines or substantial threats.

Green pygmy-goose

Nettapus pulchellus

Photo by Tony Ashton (Tyto Tony)

Common name:
green pygmy-goose (en); ganso-anão-australiano (pt); anserelle élégante (fr); gansito-australiano (es); Australische zwergente (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Anseriformes
Family Anatidae

Range:
This species is found in northern and eastern Australia and in southern New Guinea. Also in the Lesser Sundas, Moluccas and Sulawesi, but possibly only outside the breeding season.

Size:
These birds are 30-36 cm long and have a wingspan of 48-60 cm. Males tend to be larger, weighing 300-430 g while the females weigh 245-340 g.

Habitat:
The green pygmy-goose is mostly found in coastal freshwater lakes with abundant emergent vegetation, also using both permanent and seasonal inland lakes, marshes, saline lagoons and reservoirs.

Diet:
They feed mainly on the seeds, leaves, flowers, buds and stems of water lilies and other aquatic plants, such as Nymphaea gigantea and Nymphaea capensis.

Breeding:
Green pygmy-geese breed in November-April, coinciding with the local wet season. They are monogamous and nest in a tree hollow or on the ground, always near water. The female lays 8-12 cream-coloured eggs, which she incubates alone for about 23-24 days while the male guards the nest aggressively. The chicks leave the nest soon after hatching and are able to feed themselves, but are only able to fly about 8 weeks after hatching.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a very large breeding range and is described as rather common to locally abundant, but highly dependent on seeds and flowers of water lilies, and the overall population might be below 10.000 individuals. The population is currently stable throughout most of this range, but local declines in Western Australia have been attributed to destruction of aquatic vegetation by cattle.

Freckled duck

Stictonetta naevosa

Photo by Dick Daniels (Wikipedia)

Common name:
freckled duck (en); pato-sardento (pt); sitctonette tachetée (fr); pato pecoso (es); affenente (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Anseriformes
Family Anatidae

Range:
This species is found in wetlands in south-eastern and south-western Australia.

Size:
These birds are 48-59 cm long and have a wingspan of 75-85 cm. They weigh 0,8-1 kg.

Habitat:
The frecked duck is mostly found in permanent fresh water swamps and creeks with heavy growth of bullrushes, Lignum or tea tree. During droughts they also use ephemeral swamps, lakes, reservoirs and sewerage ponds.

Diet:
They feed at dawn, dusk and during the night, taking on algae, seeds and vegetative parts of aquatic grasses and sedges, and small invertebrates.

Breeding:
Freckled ducks breed mainly in September-December, but it varies with rainfall. The nest is made from finely woven twigs with a layer of down, and placed among dense vegetation at or near water level. The female lays 5-14 eggs which she incubates alone for 28 days. The chicks leave the nest soon after hatching but remain with their mother until fledging which takes place about 9 weeks after hatching.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a relatively small and fragmented breeding range and the global population is estimated at 7.300-17.000 individuals. The population trend is suspected to be fluctuating, being strongly influenced by drought cycles. During times of inland drought, when they are found closer to the coast, freckled ducks are at risk of being misidentified as game species and shot by duck-hunters. The main threat at present are the plans to extract water from the Paroo River and Cooper's Creek, which would affect the flooding of critical inland swamps. For the time being these plans have been shelved, however, should they proceed, it is estimated that the resulting reduction in habitat quality could cause a 20% population decline within 15 years.

Garganey

Anas querquedula

Photo by Kasia Someya (Internet Bird Collection)

Common name:
garganey (en); marreco (pt); sarcelle d'été (fr); cerceta carretona (es); kräkente (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Anseriformes
Family Anatidae

Range:
This species breeds throughout most of Europe and northern Asia, from the northern Iberian Peninsula and England, north to Finland and east through Turkey and southern Russia into Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, northern Mongolia and extreme north-western and north-eastern China. Also in the Japanese island of Hokkaido and in southern Kamchatka. They migrate south to winter in sub-Saharan Africa and southern China. In Africa, along the Nile river valley from Egypt to Uganda and southwards into Tanzania and Zambia, and also westwards through South Sudan, southern Chad and Cameroon into Senegal and southern Mauritania. In Asia from India and southern China down to Indonesia.

Size:
These birds are 37-41 cm and have a wingspan of 59-67 cm. They weigh 550-600 g.

Habitat:
The garganey breeds in small, shallow ponds and lakes with abundant floating, emergent and fringing vegetation, and in grass dominated environments, like swampy meadows, flooded fields and shallow freshwater marshes. Outside the breeding season they prefer large freshwater or occasionally brackish lakes, again with abundant floating, emergent and fringing vegetation, and also shallow flood plains, shallow dams, pans and sewage ponds. Occasionally,  they also use coastal saltmarshes and lagoons or even marine inshore waters.

Diet:
During the breeding season they are omnivorous, taking molluscs, aquatic insects and their larvae such as waterbugs, caddisflies, water beetles and midges, crustaceans  such asostracods and phyllopods, worms, leeches, young and spawn of frogs, and small fish, but also seeds, roots, tubers, stems, leaves and buds of plants such as hornwort Ceratophyllum, naiad Najas, sedges, grasses and other aquatic plants. Outside the breeding season they are mainly herbivorous,  taking the seeds of pondweeds, smartweeds Polygonum, sedges, dock Rumex, wild rice and various grass.

Breeding:
Garganeys breed in March-August. The nest is a shallow depression on the ground, lined with leaves and grasses, usually placed in a meadow under rushes or tall grasses and within 150 m of water. The female lays 8-11 beige eggs which she incubates alone for 21-23 days. The chicks fledge 35-42 days after hatching and reach sexual maturity after 1 year.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has an extremely large breeding range and a global population estimated at 2,6-2,8 million individuals. The overall population trend is decreasing, although some populations have unknown trends. The threats affecting this species include habitat degradation and destruction, agricultural intensification, hunting and predation by invasive species.

Ashy-headed goose

Chloephaga poliocephala

Photo by Alex Proimos (Wikipedia)

Common name:
ashy-headed goose (en); ganso-de-cabeça-cinzenta (pt); ouette à tête grise (fr); cauquén cabecigrís (es); graukopfgans (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Anseriformes
Family Anatidae

Range:
This species breeds in southern Chile and south-western Argentina, from Temuco south to Tierra del Fuego. Outside the breeding season some individuals move north and north-east to winter as far north as Valparaíso, Chile and Bahía Blanca, Argentina. There is also a resident population in the Falkland Islands.

Size:
These birds are 50-60 cm long and weigh up to 2,3 kg.

Habitat:
The ashy-headed goose breeds mostly in temperate grasslands, also using coastal freshwater lakes, inland lakes, swaps and marshes. Outside the breeding season they also use pastures and arable land. This species is present from sea level up to an altitude of 1.500 m.

Diet:
They feed on the leaves, stems and seed heads of various grasses and sedges.

Breeding:
Ashy-headed geese are monogamous and mate for life. They breed in October-March. They nest in a tree hollow or on the ground among tall grass, lining the nest with down. The female lays 4-6 pale brown eggs which are incubated for 30 days. The chicks leave the nest soon after hatching and follow the parents around until fledging, which takes place 60-80 days later.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a large breeding range. There is no information on population sizes, but the overall population trend is suspected to be decreasing. Still, the ashy-headed goose is not considered threatened at present.

White-winged duck

Cairina scutulata

Photo by Dick Daniels (Carolina Birds)

Common name:
white-winged duck (en); pato-de-asas-brancas (pt); canard à ailes blanches (fr); pato de jungla (es); Malaienente (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Anseriformes
Family Anatidae

Range:
This species is patchily distributed through south-east Asia, from Bangladesh, extreme north-eastern India and Myanmar, through Laos, Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia, and into Malaysia and the Indonesian island of Sumatra.

Size:
These large ducks are 66-81 cm long and have a wingspan of 116-153 cm. The males tend to be larger, weighing 2,9-3,9 kg while the females weigh 1,9-3,1 kg.

Habitat:
The white-winged duck is found in slow-flowing streams or rivers and swamps, within tropical rainforests. They sometimes also use rice fields. This specis is found from sea level up to an altitude of 1.400 m.

Diet:
They feed on seeds, aquatic plants, grain, rice, snails, small fishes and insects.

Breeding:
White-winged ducks breed late in the local dry season. They nest in a tree hole or hollow, usually 3-12 m above the ground, where the female lays 6-16 greenish-yellow eggs. She incubates the eggs alone for 33-35 days. The chicks leave the nest soon after hatching, following the parents around until they become independent, about 14 weeks after hatching.

Conservation:
IUCN status - EN (Endangered)
This species has a large but patchy breeding range. The population is estimated at just 250-1.000 individuals. The population is suspected to have declined very rapidly, owing to the widespread loss, degradation and disturbance of lowland riverine habitats. The resultant small, fragmented populations are vulnerable to extinction from stochastic environmental events, loss of genetic variability, disturbance, hunting and collection of eggs and chicks for food or pets. In some localized areas, hydro-power development, inappropriate forest management, and pollution may pose further threats to this species. Conservation actions underway include the creation of a few protected areas and the distribution of conservation awareness materials to local populations in Laos and Cambodia.

White-faced whistling-duck

Dendrocygna viduata

Photo by Cláudio Timm (Flickr)

Common name:
white-faced whistling-duck (en); irerê (pt); dendrocygne veuf (fr); suirirí cariblanco (es); witwenpfeifgans (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Anseriformes
Family Anatidae

Range:
This species is found throughout sub-Saharan Africa, including Madagascar, and also in South America, east of the Andes, from northern Venezuela and Colombia down to northern Argentina.

Size:
These birds are 38-48 cm long and weigh 500-820 g.

Habitat:
The white-faced whistling-duck is found in various freshwater wetlands, including lakes, swamps, marshes, large rivers, floodplains and also man-made habitats such as rice fields, reservoirs and sewage farms, favouring areas with dense emergent vegetation. They are present from sea level up to an altitude of 1.000 m.

Diet:
They feed on grasses, seeds of aquatic plants, rice, pondweed, tubers, and also some aquatic invertebrates such as molluscs, crustaceans and insects.

Breeding:
White-faced whistling-ducks usually breed in the local rainy season. They are monogamous and can nest in solitary pairs, small groups or loose colonies. Each pair nests on a shallow depression in the ground, placed amongst long grass or reedbeds and very close to water. The female lays 4-13 days, which are incubated for 26-28 days. The chicks fledge 8 weeks after hatching.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has an extremely large breeding range and the global population is estimated at 1,7-2,8 million individuals. The overall population trend in increasing although some populations are decreasing.

Emperor goose

Chen canagica

Photo by Reginald David (Hawaii Biological Survey)

Common name:
emperor goose (en); ganso-imperador (pt); oie empereur (fr); ganso emperador (es); kaisergans (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Anseriformes
Family Anatidae

Range:
This species is only found around the Bering Sea, breeding both along the western coast of Alaska and along the eastern coast of extreme north-eastern Russia. They migrate south to winter along the ice-free coasts of the Aleutian islands, the Alaska Peninsula and the northernmost Pacific coast of Canada.

Size:
These birds are 66-69 cm long and weigh up to 3 kg.

Habitat:
The emperor goose breeds in coastal saltmarshes and tundra grasslands near lakes and rivers. Outside the breeding season they move into ice-free coastal areas, including beaches, cliffs, dunes and reefs.

Diet:
They feed mainly on intertidal vegetation and invertebrates. The vegetation includes beach rye, crowberries, beach pea, sandwort, seaweeds, eelgrass and sea lettuce. Their animal prey are mostly blue mussels and Macoma clams, but also some crustaceans. They also eat sedges and bulbs.

Breeding:
Emperor geese breed in May-August. They are monogamous and mate for life. The female builds the nest, a scrape on the ground lined with dead vegetation. There she lays 3-8 eggs which are she incubates alone for 24-25 days. The chicks fledge 50-60 days after hatching, but remain with the parents for a long period, often returning to the breeding grounds with the parents the following spring. They start breeding at 3-4 years of age.

Conservation:
IUCN status - NT (Near-Threatened)
This species has a relatively large breeding range. The population is Alaska was estimated at 84.500 individuals, while in Russia there are possibly 100-10.000 individuals. The population is suspected to have suffered a moderately rapid decline, mainly due to subsistence hunting and the effects of oil pollution. Climate change is expected to impact negatively on the tundra habitat on which they depend for breeding, with a modelled loss of 54% of their habitat expected until 2070.

beach rye, crowberries, beach pea, and sandwort. They are also known to eat seaweed, eelgrass, and sea lettuce. While emperor geese may eat crustaceans, they mainly consume bivalves. During the spring and autumn months their diet consists primarily of blue mussels and macoma clams.

Maccoa duck

Oxyura maccoa

(Photo from Bird Forum)

Common name:
Maccoa duck (en); pato-de-rabo-alçado-africano (pt); érismature maccoa (fr); pato malvasía africano (es); Afrikanische ruderente (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Anseriformes
Family Anatidae

Range:
The Maccoa duck is found in two discrete areas within sub-Saharan Africa, one in East Africa and the Ethiopian highlands, in Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya and Tanzania, and another in southern Africa, in Angola, Botswana, Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe.

Size:
These birds are46-51 cm long and weigh 450-820 g.

Habitat:
They breed in small temporary and permanent inland freshwater lakes, preferring those that are shallow and nutrient-rich with extensive emergent vegetation such as reeds and cattails. They also breeds on man-made habitats, such as small farm wetlands and sewage basins. Outside the breeding season they wander over larger, deeper lakes and brackish lagoons. This species is present from sea level up to an altitude of 3.000 m.

Diet:
Maccoa ducks feed mainly on benthic invertebrates, such as fly larvae and pupae, crustaceans such as ostracods and Daphnia, Tubifex worms and fresh water mollucs. They also feed on algae and the seeds of aquatic plants such as Persicaria and Polygonum.

Breeding:
These birds can breed all year round. Male are polygamous, mating with up to 8 females that can nest simultaneously within his territory. The females build the nests, consisting of bulky cups made of leaves of stems from aquatic vegetation, placed over emergent vegetation such as reeds, bulrushes or sedges. They can also use old nests of red-knobbed coot Fulica cristata or  great crested grebe Podiceps cristatus. Each female lays 2-9 white eggs, which she incubates alone for 25-27 days. The chicks leave the nest soon after hatching and start diving and feeding for themselves immediately, relying on their mother for protection during 2-5 weeks.

Conservation:
IUCN status - NT (Near-Threatened)
The Maccoa duck has a very large breeding range, but the global population is estimated at just 6.000-7.900 individuals. The population in East Africa has suffered severe declines, perhaps by 50% in the last 10 years, while the larger southern population appears stable after a period of range expansion and possible population increase but is considered smaller than previously thought and declines may have begun. Overall the population is suspected to be declining at a slow to moderate rate, mostly due to pollution, habitat loss through drainage and conversion of wetland areas for agriculture, and accidental mortality from entanglement in gill nets. Hunting and poaching, competition with alien benthic fish and habitat alteration by introduced plants all pose less serious threats.

Brazilian teal

Amazonetta brasiliensis

Photo by Dario Sanches (Wikipedia)

Common name:
Brazilian teal (en); pé-vermelho (pt); canard amazonette (fr); pato brasileño (es); Amazonasente (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Anseriformes
Family Anatidae

Range:
These birds are found throughout Brazil and also in Bolivia, Paraguay, Uruguay, northern Argentina, Colombia and Venezuela.

Size:
Brazilian teals are 35-40 cm long and weigh 350-600 g.

Habitat:
They are mostly found in inland wetlands, such as bogs, marshes, swamps and lakes, but also in moist scrublands, wet grasslands and tropical moist forests. rarely also on coastal lagoons and mangroves. They occur from sea level up to an altitude of 1.200 m.

Diet:
Brazilian teals feed on seeds, fruits, aquatic roots, aquatic insects, crustaceans, worms and small fishes.

Breeding:
These birds breed in June-December. The nest is usually a mounds of plant matter surrounded by water, bur they can also nest on tree hollows or abandoned nests on cliffs or in trees. The female lays 6-9 pale cream or yellow-tinged white eggs, which are incubated for 23-27 days. The chicks leave the nest soon after hatching and are immediately able to hunt insects on their own, but follow the mother until fledging, 50-60 days after hatching.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
The Brazilian teal has a very large breeding range and is described as common in areas with suitable habitat. The population is suspected to be stable in the absence of evidence for any declines or substantial threats and this species is quite adaptable to habitat changes.

Common eider

Somateria mollissima

Photo by Andreas Trepte (Wikipedia)

Common name:
common eider (en); pato-eider (pt); eider à duvet (fr); eider común (es); eiderente (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Anseriformes
Family Anatidae

Range:
The common eider is found along the coasts of the northern Atlantic, northern pacific and the Arctic Ocean. In the Atlantic the breeding range goes as far south as northern England and Ireland, and Maine in the United States. In the Pacific the breeding range goes as far as southern Alaska. The wintering range goes as far as the coasts of France, Virginia, northern British Columbia and southern Kamchatka, Russia.

Size:
These large ducks are 55-70 cm long and have a wingspan of 90-105 cm. They weigh 0,9-3 kg.

Habitat:
Common eiders nest in rocky shorelines and tundra, particularly in small offshore islands that are free of mammalian predators. They forage on a wide range of coastal habitats including rocky shores, coastal lagoons, fresh water lakes, sandflats and mudflats and can also be found out at sea.

Diet:
They feed by diving into the water, mainly eating marine invertebrates. Their diet includes molluscs such as mussels, clams, scallops, cockles and snails, crabs, sea urchins and starfishes. They sometimes also eat small fishes and fish eggs.

Breeding:
Common eiders are monogamous and form large breeding colonies that can have over 10.000 birds. They breed in June-August. The nest is a scrape in the ground lined with down that the female plucks for her own body, it is often hidden among tall grasses and always located near the sea. The female lays 4-5 light grey eggs, which she incubates alone for 25-28 days. The chicks leave the nest soon after hatching and start foraging on the sea under the protection of the female, they fledge 65-75 days after hatching. Common eiders reach sexual maturity at 2-3 years of age.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a very large breeding range and a global population is estimated at 3,1-3,8 million individuals. The overall population trend is uncertain, as some populations are decreasing, while others are increasing, stable, or have unknown trends. In North America the population has undergone a small increase over the last 4 decades.

Red-crested pochard

Netta rufina

Photo by Mustafa Sozen (Trek Nature)

Common name:
red-crested pochard (en); pato-de-bico-vermelho (pt); nette rousse (fr); pato colorado (es); kolbenente (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Anseriformes
Family Anatidae

Range:
These birds breed in southern Europe, from Portugal and Spain to the Ukraine, with some populations as far north as Germany and Poland. Then, through Turkey and the Caucasus they are found in central Asia, in Kazakhstan, southern Russia, north-western China and Mongolia. Some population migrate south to winter around the Mediterranean, in the Nile valley and in the Indian sub-continent.

Size:
This large diving duck is 45-57 cm long and has a wingspan of 84-90 cm. They weigh 1-1,5 kg.

Habitat:
The red-crested pochard is mainly found in fresh or brackish water lakes and lagoons, with abundant aquatic vegetation. They may also be found in coastal areas, estuaries, and along rivers.

Diet:
They feed on various aquatic plants and algae, but also grasses and sometimes aquatic invertebrates.

Breeding:
Red-crested pochards breed in April-July. The nest is built on the ground, never far from water, consisting of a conical structure made of grasses, leaves, rushes and down. There the female lays 6-12 creamy white or pale green eggs, which she incubates alone for 26-28 days while the male stands guard. The chicks leave the nest soon after hatching and are able to feed themselves, but rely on their mother for brooding and protection until they fledge, 45-50 days after hatching.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a very large breeding range and is described as uncommon. The overall population trend is uncertain, as some populations are decreasing, while others are increasing, stable, or have unknown trends. They main threats affecting the red-crested pochard are the degradation of wetland habitats and hunting, but in some areas poisoning from lead shot ingestion and drowning on fresh water fishing nets are also a problem.

Black swan

Cygnus atratus

Photo by Rosie Perera (My Swan)

Common name:
black swan (en); cisne-preto (pt); cygne noir (fr); cisne negro (es); trauerschwan (de)


Taxonomy:
Order Anseriformes
Family Anatidae


Range:
This species originates from Australia, being mostly found in the southern and eastern parts of the country, including Tasmania. Since the 19th century the black swan has been introduced in New Zealand, Japan, western Europe and North America.


Size:
Black swans are 110-142 cm long and have a wingspan of 160-200 cm. They weigh 3,7-8,7 kg.


Habitat:
These birds are found in fresh water, salt water and brackish wetlands, including lakes, rivers and swamps, preferring areas with aquatic vegetation. They are also found in flooded fields and even in dry pastures when food is scarce.


Diet:
Black swans are mainly herbivorous, eating sub-aquatic foliage, namely of Typha, Potamogeton, Myriophyllum, Ruppia and various algae. They also eat plants on pastures and farm land and are known to occasionally eat insects.


Breeding:
Within their native range, black swans breed in February-September. They are largely monogamous and most often pair for life. Typically, the female builds the nest, a floating mound of sticks, dead leaves and debris, on shallow water or sometimes in small islands. There she lays 4-8 greenish-white eggs, which are incubated by both sexes for 35-48 days. The precocial chicks leave the nest 2-3 weeks after hatching and are able to feed themselves, but only fledge 5-6 months after hatching and may remain with their parents for even longer. During this period they are protected by their parents and in the first weeks they may even ride on their backs.


Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a very large breeding range and the global population is estimated at 100.000-1.000.000 individuals. The population is suspected to be stable in the absence of evidence for any declines or substantial threats.

Baer's pochard

Aythya baeri

Photo by Lester Wareham (The Holding Tank)

Common name:
Baer's pochard (en); zarro-de-Baer (pt); fuligule de Baer (fr); porrón de Baer (es); Baermoorente (de)


Taxonomy:
Order Anseriformes
Family Anatidae


Range:
This Asian species breeds in the Amur and Ussuri basins, in south-eastern Russia and north-eastern China. It migrates south to winter from southern China, west to Bangladesh and eastern India, and south to Taiwan, Myanmar and occasionally Vietnam.


Size:
These birds are 41-46 cm long and weigh 650-700 g.


Habitat:
The Baer's pochard is found breeding in shallow lakes and freshwater marshes, but also in fast-flowing rivers, as long as there is rich aquatic vegetation where they can build a secure nest. Outside the breeding season in lakes, reservoirs, rivers, freshwater marshes, rice fields and in islands within freshwater lakes.


Diet:
They dive up to a depth of 2 m to hunt aquatic insects, molluscs, shrimps and fishes. They also eat algae, aquatic plants and seeds, especially during winter.


Breeding:
Baer's pochards breed in May-July. The nest is made of aquatic vegetation and placed in a tussock, in floating vegetation, in dense reedbeds or sometimes in the branches of trees. There the female lays 9-15 eggs, which she incubates alone for 23-28 days while the male guards the nest and collects food for the female. The chicks leave the nest soon after hatching, but remain with their parents for 2-4 weeks.


Conservation:
IUCN status - EN (Endangered)
This species has a very large breeding range, but the global population is estimated at just 5.000 individuals. The population is estimated to be undergoing a fast decline caused by hunting and habitat loss due to wetland destruction in both their breeding and wintering grounds.

Laysan duck

Anas laysanensis

Photo by Melinda Webster (Melinda Annie's Website)

Common name:
Laysan duck (en); pato-de-Laysan (pt); canard de Laysan (fr); ánade de Laysan (es); Laysanente (de)


Taxonomy:
Order Anseriformes
Family Anatidae


Range:
This species is endemic to the island of Laysan, in the Hawaii archipelago.


Size:
These birds are 40-42 cm long and weigh up to 400 g.


Habitat:
Laysan ducks use all habitats in the island of Laysan. During the day they are mostly found hidden in dense scrubland, coming out during the evening and night to forage along the sea shores or on the brackish lake inside the island.


Diet:
They mostly eat brine flies Scatella sexnotata, shrimps, snails and other invertebrates such as insect larvae and moths, but will also take grass seeds, sedge seeds and some algae.


Breeding:
The Laysan duck can breed almost all year round, with the breeding season varying significantly between years. The female builds the nest on the ground, under dense vegetation, where she lays 3-4 eggs which she incubates alone for 24-28 days. The precocial chicks leave the nest within 2 days of hatching, but are guarded, brooded, and led to foraging sites by the female for 40-60 days.


Conservation:
IUCN status - CR (Critically endangered)
In the past the Laysan duck occurred throughout the Hawaiian islands, but the introduction of rats lead to its disapearance everywhere but in Laysan. At present, the species has an extremely small breeding range and the global population is estimated at 888-1.064 individuals. The Laysan duck nearly became extinct in the beginning of the XX century, and although the population is currently increasing it shows extreme fluctuations caused by extreme weather, diseases and the accidental introduction of competitors. Some conservation measures, including habitat restoration in Laysan and the relocation of 42 birds  to the Midway Atoll, are under-way to try and save this critically endangered species. 

South African shelduck

Tadorna cana

Photo by Miriam Bauman (Internet Bird Collection)

Common name:
South African shelduck (en); pato-ferrugíneo-sul-africano (pt); tadorne à tête grise (fr); tarro sudafricano (es); graukopfkasarca (de)


Taxonomy:
Order Anseriformes
Family Anatidae


Range:
This species is found throughout South Africa, in Namibia and in south-eastern Botswana.


Size:
These birds are 61-66 cm long and weigh 1-1,5 kg.


Habitat:
South African shelducks are found in shallow water wetlands, often along muddy shorelines with low grassy or scrubby vegetation. Their distribution is also influenced by the availability of vacated holes of aardvark and other mammals, which they use for nesting, so they are mostly found in wetlands located within semi-arid and grassland regions.


Diet:
They forage both in the water and on nearby crop fields, eating adult and larval crustaceans, larval insects, algae and agricultural crops like maize, rice, sorghum, wheat, oats, barley and peanuts. They also eat the seeds, leaves and roots of aquatic grasses and reeds.


Breeding:
These birds breed in March-December. The female builds the nest, using grasses, down and feathers, in a pre-existing cavity in the ground, most typically in an aardvark Orycteropus afer burrow, but also in holes of springhares Pedetes capensis or porcupines Hystrix africaeaustralis. There she lays 5-15 eggs which she incubates alone for 28-32 days. The chicks are cared for by both parents, fledging 65-75 days after hatching and becoming independent 1-2 months later.


Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least concern)
This species has a very large breeding range and the global population is estimated at 50.000 individuals. The use of waterbodies for human recreation and the decline in aardvark populations could affect this species in the future, but the population is presently suspected to be increasing.

Hooded merganser

Lophodytes cucullatus

Photo by Bill Horn (Birds of Oklahoma)

Common name:

hooded merganser (en); merganso-capuchinho (pt); harle couronné (fr); serreta capuchona (es); kappensäger (de)

Taxonomy:

Order Anseriformes

Family Anatidae

Range:

This North American species breeds across mots of the eastern United States, in the north-western united States and across most of southern Canada. Some populations migrate south to winter along the coast of California and along the Atlantic coast from Delaware to Texas.

Size:

Hooded mergansers are 40-49 cm long and have a wingspan of 60-66 cm. They weigh 450-880 g.

Habitat:

They are generally found breeding in forested wetlands, namely spruce/fur to cottonwood/elder and oak/cypress/tupelo. They can also breed in wet grasslands and sometimes in open wetlands. During winter they prefer shallow, freshwater and brackish bays, estuaries, and tidal creeks and ponds.

Diet:

Hooded mergansers are mostly carnivorous, eating fishes, aquatic insects and crustaceans. They sometimes also eat aquatic plants.

Breeding:

These birds breed in February-June. The female selects the nest site, which is usually a cavity in a dead or live tree, or sometimes a man-made nest box. The nest is usually 1,5-5 m above the ground. There the female lays 6-15 glossy white eggs which she incubates alone for 26-41 days. Within 24 h or hatching the female leads the ducklings to water and they remain with their mother until fledging which takes place 70 days later. Each pair raises a single clutch per year.

Conservation:

IUCN status - LC (Least concern)

This species has a very large breeding range and a global population estimated at 270.000-390.000 individuals. The population has undergone a large increase over the last 40 years, equating to a 85,9% increase per decade.