Crested Duck - BirdForum Opus

Photo by rdavis
Saunder's Island, Falkland Islands, January 2011

Lophonetta specularioides

Anas specularioides

Identification

• Large
• Short crest produces a specific head shape when seen from the side
• Pale brown
• Flanks have marbled appearance
• Red iris in nominate, orange to yellow in alticola
• Bill dark gray
• Grey legs
• Wings with white speculum, in front of that a black stripe, and in front of that a violet band

Distribution

South America: found in Peru, Bolivia, Chile, Argentina and the Falkland Islands.

Taxonomy

Subspecies

Lophonetta specularioides has two subspecies:¹

• L. s. alticola

• Andes of Peru and Bolivia to north-western Argentina and Chile

• L. s. specularioides

• Central Chile and Argentina to Tierra del Fuego and Falkland Islands.

Habitat

Mostly freshwater, lakes and ponds; in the south at sea level but in northern populations in Andean highland wetlands and lakes. Altitudinal migrant in some areas.

Behaviour

Diet

The diet includes algae and invertebrates.

Breeding

It builds its nest in shrubs near to water. The clutch consists of 5-7 eggs.

References

1. Clements, JF. 2010. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to December 2010. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019. Spreadsheet available at http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/Clements%206.5.xls/view
2. Alvaro Jaramillo. 2003. Birds of Chile. Princeton Field Guides. ISBN 0-691-11740-3
3. Wikipedia
4. Arthur Grosset

• List of references

Recommended Citation

• BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) Crested Duck. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 25 April 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Crested_Duck

External Links

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