From Opus

Photo by Doug Newman
Location: Elandsvlei, South Africa.

Thalassornis leuconotus

[edit] Identification

Rufous and dark-brown barring, a black bill and a diagnostic pale spot at the base of the bill, the white back is visible only in flight.

[edit] Distribution

Africa and Madagascar.

[edit] Taxonomy

There are two subspecies:

• T. l. leuconotus

• Sub-Saharan Africa

• T. l. insularis

• Madagascar

[edit] Habitat

Lakes, ponds, swamps and marshes.

[edit] Behaviour

They dive especially for the bulbs of waterlilies. The diet includes the seeds of aquatic plants.

Both sexes build the nest which is located in reeds or rushes or grasses or sedges growing in the water; the vegetation is bent over to form a bowl of plant material drawn in from around the site and padded with green aquatic grass. 4-9 eggs are laid at a rate of one per day and both sexes incubate the eggs for 29-33 days before they hatch. The female incubates at night and for about an hour in the middle of the day, and the male incubates for the remainder of the day. Nest changeover is communicated through an exchange of calls and a bird usually approaches the nest underwater.

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