From Opus

Photo by Mybs
Paarl Sewage Works, Western Cape, South Africa, February 2005

Anas sparsa

[edit] Identification

Brown-black head, black body, white marks on its back. The bill is dark and the legs and feet are orange.

[edit] Distribution

Widespread throughout sub-Saharan Africa:
Western Africa: Guinea, Togo, Nigeria, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Democratic Republic of Congo, Angola
Eastern Africa: Sudan, Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Tanzania, Zambia, Mozambique, Malawi
Southern Africa: Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, South Africa, KwaZulu-Natal, Lesotho, Swaziland

[edit] Taxonomy

Anas sparsa has two subspecies:^[1]

• A. s. leucostigma

• Western Equatorial Africa; Ethiopia and Sudan to Zimbabwe

• A. s. sparsa

• Southern Africa (south of Zimbabwe)

[edit] Habitat

Rivers and streams during the day, preferring large open waters at night. Water in wooded hills.

[edit] Behaviour

Usually in pairs which defend territories along rivers or streams.

[edit] Diet

The diet includes larvae and pupae, aquatic animals, plant material, seeds, small fish, snails, and crabs.

[edit] Breeding

It builds a cup shaped nest from driftwood and matted grass, and the nest is placed near running water. 4-8 eggs are laid and incubated by the female for 30 days. The young are cared for by the female, and fledge after about 86 days.

[edit] References

1. Clements, JF. 2008. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to December 2008. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019. Spreadsheet available at http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist.
2. Sinclair, I and P Ryan. 2003. Birds of Africa South of the Sahara. Princeton: Princeton Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0691118154

1. Avibase

• List of references

[edit] External Links