- Anas sparsa
Identification
Brown-black head, black body, white marks on its back. The bill is dark and the legs and feet are orange.
Distribution
Widespread throughout sub-Saharan Africa:
Western Africa: Guinea, Togo, Nigeria, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Democratic Republic of Congo, Angola
Eastern Africa: Sudan, Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Tanzania, Zambia, Mozambique, Malawi
Southern Africa: Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, South Africa, KwaZulu-Natal, Lesotho, eSwatini
Taxonomy
Anas sparsa has two subspecies:[1]
- A. s. leucostigma
- A. s. sparsa
- Southern Africa (south of Zimbabwe)
Habitat
Rivers and streams during the day, preferring large open waters at night. Water in wooded hills.
Behaviour
Usually in pairs which defend territories along rivers or streams.
Diet
The diet includes larvae and pupae, aquatic animals, plant material, seeds, small fish, snails, and crabs.
Breeding
It builds a cup shaped nest from driftwood and matted grass, and the nest is placed near running water. 4-8 eggs are laid and incubated by the female for 30 days. The young are cared for by the female, and fledge after about 86 days.
References
- Clements, JF. 2008. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to December 2008. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019. Spreadsheet available at http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist.
- Sinclair, I and P Ryan. 2003. Birds of Africa South of the Sahara. Princeton: Princeton Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0691118154
- Avibase
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) African Black Duck. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 29 April 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/African_Black_Duck
External Links
GSearch checked for 2020 platform.
