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Difference between revisions of "Pacific Black Duck" - BirdForum Opus

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(Pictures of female, juvenile & Flight. Attempt to disguise copied text. References)
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'''Alternative names: (Maori) Parera, Grey Duck'''
 
'''Alternative names: (Maori) Parera, Grey Duck'''
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[[Image:Pacific_Black_Duck.jpg|thumb|550px|right|'''Male'''.  Photo by {{user|julien|julien}}<br />Castlemaine, Victoria, [[Australia]]]]
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[[Image:Pacific_Black_Duck.jpg|thumb|550px|right|Male<br />Photo by {{user|julien|julien}}<br />Castlemaine, Victoria, [[Australia]], September 2004]]
 
;[[:Category:Anas|Anas]] superciliosa
 
;[[:Category:Anas|Anas]] superciliosa
 
==Identification==
 
==Identification==
−
Mostly mid-brown in colour, with buff edged feathers. There is a dark brown line through the eye, bordered with cream above and below and a dark brown crown. The upper wing colour is brown, with a bright glossy green patch in the secondary flight feathers. The white underwing is conspicuous in flight. Young Pacific Black Ducks are similar to the adults in plumage. Females are similar, but the head stripes are lighter, and the crown brown instead of black.  There is no seasonal variation in plumage.
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47–61 cm
 +
*Body colour varies from brown to black with pale feather edges
 +
*Dark brown or black crown
 +
*Bold cream [[Topography#Heads|supercilium]]
 +
*Dark brown line through the eye
 +
[[Image:Pac-Black-Duck-8871W.jpg|thumb|350px|right|Female with ducklings<br />Photo by '''[http://www.birdforum.net/member.php?u=49168 Hans&Judy Beste]'''<br />Gold Coast, [[Queensland]], [[Australia]], December 2012]]
 +
*Cream band below the eye
 +
*Bluish-green iridescent [[Topography#Wings|speculum]]
  
 
==Distribution==
 
==Distribution==
−
[[Australia]] and throughout the Pacific region.
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[[Asia]] and [[Australasia]]<br />
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''Southeast Asia'': [[Borneo]], [[Indonesia]], [[Greater Sundas]], [[Sumatra]], [[Java]], [[Sulawesi]], [[Lesser Sundas]], [[Moluccas]], [[East Timor]]<br />
 +
'''Australasia''': [[New Guinea]]. [[Australia]]: [[New South Wales]], [[Northern Territory]], [[Queensland]], [[South Australia]], [[Tasmania]], [[Victoria]], [[Western Australia]], [[New Zealand]], [[Melanesia]], [[Samoa]], [[Micronesia]], [[Fiji]], [[Solomon Islands]], [[Vanuatu]], [[New Caledonia]], [[Grand Terre]]
  
 
==Taxonomy==
 
==Taxonomy==
−
There are three subspecies of Anas superciliosa:<sup>[[#References|[1]]]</sup><br />
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====Subspecies====
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''rogersi'' breeds in [[Indonesia]], [[New Guinea]] and [[Australia]]<br />
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[[Image:P2150085.JPG|thumb|350px|right|Juvenile<br />Photo by {{user|Rose+Fletcher|Rose Fletcher}}<br />Torrens River Linear Park, Adelaide, [[South Australia]], October 2008]]
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''pelewensis'' on the southwest Pacific islands, and ''superciliosa'' in [[New Zealand]].
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There are three subspecies of Anas superciliosa:<sup>[[#References|[1]]]</sup>
 +
*''A. s. superciliosa'':
 +
:*[[New Zealand]], Auckland, Campbell and Macquarie islands
 +
*''A. s. pelewensis'':
 +
:*[[New Guinea]] to [[Solomon Islands]] and [[French Polynesia]]
 +
*''A. s. rogersi'':
 +
:*Sundas to southern [[New Guinea]], [[Australia]] and [[Tasmania]]
  
 
The New Zealand subspecies has declined sharply in numbers, at least in its pure form, due to competition from and hybridisation with the introduced [[Mallard]].
 
The New Zealand subspecies has declined sharply in numbers, at least in its pure form, due to competition from and hybridisation with the introduced [[Mallard]].
−
 
  
 
==Habitat==
 
==Habitat==
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All types of water, from isolated forest pools to tidal mudflats.  
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A wide variety of water habitats, preferably with a lot of vegetation and low salinity.
 
==Behaviour==
 
==Behaviour==
 
These birds are seen in pairs or small flocks.
 
These birds are seen in pairs or small flocks.
 
====Diet====
 
====Diet====
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Its diet includes the seeds of aquatic plants, small crustaceans, molluscs and aquatic insects. Food is obtained by 'dabbling', where the bird plunges its head and neck underwater and upends, raising its rear end vertically out of the water. Occasionally, food is sought on land in damp grassy areas.
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[[Image:Pacific Black Duck7.JPG|thumb|350px|right|Photo by {{user|Mzungu|Mzungu}}<br />Sandy Camp Rd Wetlands, Brisbane, [[Australia]], January 2015]]
 +
A dabbling duck; their diet consists mostly of aquatic and marginal plant seeds. Also small crustaceans, molluscs. They occasionally feed on land.
 
====Breeding====
 
====Breeding====
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Courtship is accompanied by ritualised displays including preening, bobbing and wing-flapping. This behaviour is often initiated by the female, and, other than copulation, the male helps little in the breeding process. Often, two broods will be raised in a year.
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The female often initiates courtship and displays include preening, bobbing and wing-flapping.
 +
 
 +
Often, two broods will be raised in a year.
  
 
The number of offspring produced may seem quite high, but only 20% of these will survive past two years of age.
 
The number of offspring produced may seem quite high, but only 20% of these will survive past two years of age.
 
==References==
 
==References==
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#{{Ref-Clements6thDec08}}
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#{{Ref-Clements6thAug14}}#Avibase
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#Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive (retrieved January 2015)
 +
#Birds in Backyards
 
{{ref}}
 
{{ref}}
 
==External Links==
 
==External Links==
 
{{GSearch|Anas+superciliosa}}   
 
{{GSearch|Anas+superciliosa}}   
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*[http://www.aviceda.org/abid/birdimages.php?action=birdspecies&fid=10&bid=57 View more images of this species on the ABID]
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[[Category:Birds]]
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[[Category:Birds]] [[Category:Anas]]

Revision as of 16:16, 9 January 2015

Alternative names: (Maori) Parera, Grey Duck

Male
Photo by julien
Castlemaine, Victoria, Australia, September 2004
Anas superciliosa

Identification

47–61 cm

  • Body colour varies from brown to black with pale feather edges
  • Dark brown or black crown
  • Bold cream supercilium
  • Dark brown line through the eye
Female with ducklings
Photo by Hans&Judy Beste
Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia, December 2012
  • Cream band below the eye
  • Bluish-green iridescent speculum

Distribution

Asia and Australasia
Southeast Asia: Borneo, Indonesia, Greater Sundas, Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, Lesser Sundas, Moluccas, East Timor
Australasia: New Guinea. Australia: New South Wales, Northern Territory, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria, Western Australia, New Zealand, Melanesia, Samoa, Micronesia, Fiji, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, New Caledonia, Grand Terre

Taxonomy

Subspecies

Juvenile
Photo by Rose Fletcher
Torrens River Linear Park, Adelaide, South Australia, October 2008

There are three subspecies of Anas superciliosa:[1]

  • A. s. superciliosa:
  • A. s. pelewensis:
  • A. s. rogersi:

The New Zealand subspecies has declined sharply in numbers, at least in its pure form, due to competition from and hybridisation with the introduced Mallard.

Habitat

A wide variety of water habitats, preferably with a lot of vegetation and low salinity.

Behaviour

These birds are seen in pairs or small flocks.

Diet

Photo by Mzungu
Sandy Camp Rd Wetlands, Brisbane, Australia, January 2015

A dabbling duck; their diet consists mostly of aquatic and marginal plant seeds. Also small crustaceans, molluscs. They occasionally feed on land.

Breeding

The female often initiates courtship and displays include preening, bobbing and wing-flapping.

Often, two broods will be raised in a year.

The number of offspring produced may seem quite high, but only 20% of these will survive past two years of age.

References

  1. Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, D. Roberson, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2014. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: Version 6.9., with updates to August 2014. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
  2. Avibase
  3. Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive (retrieved January 2015)
  4. Birds in Backyards

Recommended Citation

External Links

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