From Opus

Photo by dacol
Chincoteague, Virginia, USA, February 2004

Anas rubripes

Identification

L. 19-22 in (48-56 cm)

• Large dabbling duck
• Olive or dull yellow bill
• Sooty brown body
• Conspicuous white wing linings
• Lighter head and neck
• Orange legs
• Dark eyes
• Shiny purple-blue speculum
  • Not bordered by white

Similar Species

Female Mallard paler and sandier, with bill mottled with orange and black, and whitish tail feathers.

Distribution

A bird of eastern North America, breeding in Canada to the Arctic Sea and in northern-most eastern USA west to Wisconsin and Minnesota. It winters from the Canadian border south in the US, but does not reach the Gulf of Mexico.

This duck is a rare vagrant to Great Britain.

Photo by CurtMorgan
Green Island, New York, USA, January 2008

Taxonomy

This is a monotypic species^[3].

Two subspecies are recognised by some authorities: A. r. rubripes and A. r. obscura⁴

They regularly breed with Mallard ducks and are closely related to them. Some authorities believe them to be a dark variant of Mallard. ²

The hybrids are difficult to distinguish in the field. Hybrid females appear to die before reaching sexual maturity leading to the belief that they are separate species.¹

Habitat

They breed on lakes, ponds, rivers, marshes. ¹

Behavior

Diet

These birds feed by dabbling in shallow water, and grazing on land. They mainly eat plants, but also some mollusks and aquatic insects.

Breeding

Six to fourteen greenish-buff eggs are laid and usually hatch around 30 days.¹

Vocalization

See Mallard

References

1. Wikipedia
2. Nationmaster
3. Clements, James F. 2007. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to October 2007. Ithaca: Cornell University Press. ISBN 9780801445019
4. Avibase

• List of references

External Links