Alternative name: White-winged Wood Duck
- Asarcornis scutulata
Cairina scutulata
Identification
66-81cm.
Dark brown, almost black, body, white patches on the wings, white head and neck, spotted with black. Females are smaller and usually have more densely mottled head and upper neck. Juvenile is duller and browner. Endangered.
Distribution
Laos, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Sumatra, India, Bangladesh and Burma.
Taxonomy
Some authorities place this species in the genus Cairina.
This is a monotypic species[1].
Habitat
Stagnant or slow-flowing natural and artificial wetlands, within or adjacent to evergreen, deciduous or swamp forests.
Behaviour
They can often be found roosting in the shade of trees to avoid the midday sun.
Diet
They feed mostly at night; the diet includes seeds and aquatic plants, insects, larva, worms, small fish and frogs.
Breeding
It nests in tree holes.
References
- Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, S. M. Billerman, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2019. The eBird/Clements Checklist of Birds of the World: v2019. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
- Carboneras, C. and G. M. Kirwan (2020). White-winged Duck (Asarcornis scutulata), version 1.0. In Birds of the World (J. del Hoyo, A. Elliott, J. Sargatal, D. A. Christie, and E. de Juana, Editors). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.whwduc1.01
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2025) White-winged Duck. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 3 May 2025 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/White-winged_Duck
