The lesser duck (Aythya affinis) belongs to the family Anatidae, order Anseriformes.
Distribution of the lesser sea duck.
The Lesser Duck is an American species of diving duck. Distributed in boreal forests and parks in Alaska, Canada and the United States in North and South Dakota, Montana, Wyoming, northeastern Washington in the Southern Oregon region and northeastern California.
In winter, it lives in suitable habitats in coastal Pacific areas, including Colorado, southeast Florida, and the Atlantic coast of Massachusetts. This duck species also appears in the southern Great Lakes and Ohio and Mississippi River basins. Lesser duck winters throughout Mexico and Central America, the Antilles and Hawaiian Islands. Sometimes in winter period observed in the Western Palearctic, Greenland, British Isles, Canary Islands and the Netherlands.
Listen to the voice of the little scaup.
Habitats of the Lesser Duck.
Lesser ducks prefer wetlands for feeding and breeding. They meet all year round permanently or seasonally in reservoirs with above-water vegetation of reeds and underwater vegetation - pierced-leaved pondweed, water milfoil, hornwort. Ducks prefer ponds with big amount amphipods and the most abundant, untouched aquatic vegetation.
Female They are found in both fresh and slightly brackish wetlands, including ponds, lakes, rivers, and coastal bays. To a lesser extent, swampy meadows and meadows near water bodies are chosen.
External signs of the lesser sea duck.
The little duck is a medium-sized dive. Males are slightly larger than females and measure 40.4 to 45.1 cm, females 39.1 to 43.4 cm. Weight: 700 to 1200 g for males and from 600 to 1100 g for females. Ducks' plumage changes throughout most of the year. During the mating season (from August to next June), the male has a blue beak, purple-black head, chest, neck, and tail. The sides and belly are white, and the back is white with gray accents.
Male The female is chocolate brown, with light shades in the plumage, the head is rufous, and there is a white spot at the base of the dark gray beak. In all individuals, the secondary flight feathers are white at the ends, with a prominent white stripe on the trailing edge of the upper surface of the wing. The color of the iris depends on gender and age. The color of the iris in chicks is grayish, in young ducks it becomes yellow-green, and then dark yellow in adult males. The color of the iris in females remains brownish.
Lesser ducklings are difficult to distinguish from related species, especially from a distance.
Reproduction of the lesser sea duck.
Lesser ducks are monogamous birds. Pairs form at the end of spring migration and the birds remain, then the female sits down to incubate the eggs.
Peak nesting and egg laying occurs in June. The female and male choose a place with a small hole among dense grassy vegetation. Birds line the inside with grass and feathers, giving the nest a rounded shape.
The female lays from 6 to 14 pale greenish eggs.
Typically 1 egg per day and begins incubation a day or two before the last egg is laid. Some ducks lay eggs in the nests of other females. Large clutches are typical for southern populations; in northern populations, ducks lay fewer eggs. The male leaves the female and stays separately throughout the incubation period in June, approximately 21 - 27 days. Only the female incubates the eggs and cares for the offspring. The ducklings follow the adult duck and feed on their own, first collecting food from the surface of the water, and after 2 weeks they dive into the water. The female leads the ducklings for 2 to 5 weeks, often leaving the brood before the young ducks begin to fly.
Lesser ducklings develop from large eggs even in the warm season, and therefore have higher survival rates than other related species of the duck family. In most cases, chick death occurs within the first few weeks after hatching as a result of predation or hypothermia. It is believed that lesser duck chicks appear at the end of the breeding season during a period when amphipods, the main food of these ducks, swim in abundance in water bodies. Young lesser ducks can fly 47 - 61 days after their appearance. Males and females give birth to offspring the next year, although unfavorable conditions breeding may be postponed until another period.
Maximum recorded lifespan of lesser gulls in wildlife is 18 years and 4 months.
Peculiarities of behavior of the lesser scaup.
Lesser ducks are social, non-aggressive birds. They tolerate the presence of other species, except at the beginning of the breeding season, when males protect their females.
In winter, ducks form large flocks that migrate.
Breeding pairs do not defend their territory, instead they have small areas that change size frequently throughout the breeding season. The area of the territory ranges from 26 to 166 hectares. In winter, lesser ducks migrate to areas with favorable conditions. After wintering, females return to their native places in subsequent years; males do not always do this.
Feeding of the little duck.
Lesser ducks, adults and young ducks feed on insects, crustaceans and molluscs. They sometimes also eat the seeds of aquatic plants such as water lilies and egg capsules.
Birds feed in shallow water and dive in open water.
They dive at an angle and appear on the surface a few meters from the place where they dived. Lesser ducks mostly eat their prey underwater, but sometimes they drag it ashore to remove inedible parts. Diet varies depending on seasonal food availability and habitat conditions. Lake amphipods, chironomids and leeches (Hirudinea) make up an important part of the feeding. Shellfish and plant seeds supplement the diet; on occasion, ducks also eat fish, caviar and eggs at other times of the year. Feeding on seeds predominates in autumn.
Conservation status of the lesser gull.
The little duck is considered a fairly abundant species by the IUCN and is not threatened with extinction. The high abundance and wide geographic range indicate the stable status of the species. This is one of the most common diving species in North America. However, regional population declines have been recorded. Some populations live in degraded environments, with wetlands being destroyed and pollution increasing. High levels of selenium have been found in the livers of lesser sea ducks in the Great Lakes region, but no signs of bird poisoning have been reported in other regions. Studies of ducks during the egg-laying period in North America have shown that lack of nutrients and stress lead to a decrease in reproductive function and affect the reproduction of ducks in North America.
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Plan
Introduction
1 Description
2 Distribution
2.1 Range
2.2 Habitats
2.3 Migration
3 Reproduction
4 Food
5 Subspecies
Bibliography
Introduction
Sea black (lat. Aythya marila) is a medium-sized waterfowl of the Anatidae family, a relatively large dive. It nests in overgrown lakes and grassy swamps in the shrub tundra, forest-tundra and northern taiga of Eurasia and North America. It builds nests on the ground near water, among sedge thickets. Migratory bird, winters along the sea coasts of temperate latitudes. It feeds mainly on mollusks and green parts of aquatic plants, which it gets from the bottom of reservoirs. Outside the breeding season, it lives in small or large flocks, which in some cases can reach several thousand individuals. Breeds in pairs or small free groups.Object of hunting. Generally a common and abundant species, although in Scandinavia and Iceland (where this duck previously dominated Lake Myvatn), there has been a significant population decline in recent years.
1. Description
A fairly large diving duck of a dense build with a rounded head, wide body and short neck. Body length 42-52 cm; the weight of males is 744-1372 mm, females 690-1312 g. There is pronounced sexual dimorphism in color. The plumage of the drake is contrasting black and white - black feathers of the head, neck, front of the chest, lower back and rump alternate with white feathers on the back of the chest and belly. The primaries and tail are grayish-brown, the secondaries are white with black tips. The back and wing coverts are speckled, with frequent alternation of gray and white. The sides are partly white and partly brownish with white streaks. The undertail and underwing are blackish-brown with white speckles. The beak is bluish-gray with a small black “claw.” The legs are also bluish-gray, the iris is golden-yellow. In the breeding plumage, a purple or greenish tint is clearly visible on the males’ heads. The female is colored predominantly brown and brown tones, lighter on the sides and chest. There is a noticeable wide white ring of feathers around the base of the beak. A thin whitish stripe stretches from the edge of the ear to the ear. Young birds are very similar to females.The sea duck is closely related and has a marked resemblance to the tufted duck in the eastern hemisphere and the lesser duck in the western hemisphere. It differs from both types in its large size. Compared to the Tufted Duck, the male Duck is distinguished by its rippled back, lack of tuft, and greenish or purple tint to its head. A distinctive feature of the female is a wide white stripe around the beak. The differences from the Lesser Duck are less noticeable - in addition to the significant difference in size, the latter also has a small protruding crest on its head, the undertail is not blackish-brown, but light with dark stripes, and the wing is darker.
It rises easily from the water and flies quickly, flapping its wings frequently. Dives perfectly. The male is usually silent, but during courtship he makes a repetitive nasal whistle or coo, similar to the voice of the tufted duck, only lower. The rough croaking of the female resembles the deeper, more extended and hoarse croaking of the female tufted duck.
2. Distribution
2.1. Area
The sea duck is the most northern species of the genus of sea ducks, nesting in the subarctic and arctic latitudes of Eurasia and North America. In Scandinavia it rises to approximately the 70th parallel, being absent only in the northernmost part of the peninsula. In the Russian north it is found west of the Urals to the coast of the Arctic Ocean, in Yamal up to 70° N. sh., on the Gydan Peninsula up to 71° N. sh., on Taimyr up to 74° N. sh., east to the mouth of the Kolyma and the southern foot of the Anadyr Range to 71° N. w. On the American continent it nests in Alaska to Kotzebue Bay, east to the sea coast. The southern border of the nesting range covers the forest-tundra and the northern border of the taiga. Outside the continents, it lives in Iceland, on the Åland, Komandorsky, Kuril, Aleutian Islands, Sakhalin, the islands of Öland and Gotland.2.2. Habitat
During the breeding season, it inhabits the shrub tundra, forest-tundra and northern taiga, where it is found on various flowing bodies of water with overgrown banks, from small shallow swamps and rivers to large lakes. In Scandinavia it nests along a narrow birch belt. Often found in the company of other northern ducks - tufted duck, black duck ( Melanitta nigra), scoter, long-tailed duck, and in America, the lesser tufted duck. The feeding biotope is water bodies rich in mollusks and vegetation with a depth of no more than 6 m.2.3. Migration
Mostly migrant, winters on the sea coasts of temperate latitudes, including the Black, Azov and Caspian Seas, off southern Sakhalin. During autumn migration, flocks of males and females split up - as a rule, drakes choose more northern latitudes. Small sedentary populations are noted along the southern coast of Alaska and in southwestern Iceland. In winter, it stays at sea close to the coast, where the depth does not exceed 10 m, preferring narrow bays, lagoons and estuaries. Often found near exits Wastewater. Sometimes it flies into river mouths and nearby freshwater lakes. Rarely found in inland waters far from coasts. Young birds that have not reached sexual maturity often remain in wintering areas throughout the summer.3. Reproduction
The breeding season begins at the end of May - beginning of June, when the ground is cleared of snow. Pairs are often formed even before arriving at the nesting sites, however, since the males usually spend the winter separately, they begin mating upon arrival. During the courtship process, drakes behave demonstratively - they swim near the ducks, fluffing their feathers and periodically throwing their heads back. At the same time, the males “coo” - they emit a hoarse nasal whistle. Black ducks do not form independent colonies, but sometimes nest in small free groups and not far from colonies of gulls and terns.The nest is a depression in the ground, lined with last year's grass and down, and is usually located in a dry place among hummocks and not far from water, in sedge thickets, in the shade of bushes or a rocky crevice. Less commonly, the nest is made directly on the water under the overhanging branches of a willow, and in this case it looks like a tall pile of grass with a tray. The diameter of the nest is 25-30 cm, height up to 17 cm and above. The clutch consists of 8-11 dirty olive eggs, laid alternately at daily intervals. Only the female incubates and cares for the offspring, while the male migrates during the molting period and gathers in same-sex flocks. The incubation period is 26-28 days; down-covered chicks appear synchronously within 24 hours. The first 2 weeks are a particularly difficult period for the brood: about a third of the chicks die due to the activity of predators, mainly seagulls. 35 - 42 years after hatching, the chicks acquire the ability to fly. Autumn departure occurs in mid-August.
4. Food
The diet is mixed and consists of approximately equal parts plant and animal feed. An important role, especially in winter, is played by shellfish - mussels, macomas ( Macoma), cordates ( Cardium), hydrobia ( Hydrobia) , shutters ( Valvata), pearl barley ( Unio), toothless ( Anodonta) etc. In addition, it feeds on crustaceans, larvae of aquatic insects, small fish, earthworms, as well as vegetative parts (rhizomes, leaves and seeds) of aquatic plants.5. Subspecies
There are 2 subspecies of sea duck. Nominative subspecies A. m. marila Linnaeus 1761 is distributed in the northern Palearctic. American subspecies A. m. nearctica differs from the nominative by a more intense streaky pattern on the back and shoulders.Bibliography:
The sea duck is a waterfowl. Belongs to the duck family, and is included in the genus Duck. This type nests in the tundra, forest-tundra, taiga northern regions of North America and Eurasia. These are Alaska, Siberia, the northern regions of Europe, the Aleutian Islands, where birds are present all year round. In autumn, representatives of the species migrate south. They winter along the Pacific and Atlantic coasts of North America, along the coast of Northwestern Europe, on the Caspian and Black Seas, and off the coast of Japan.
The body length of an adult bird is 39-56 cm. Body weight reaches 730-1360 g. Sexual dimorphism is well expressed in the plumage. Males have a black head with a green tint. Black chest, tail and bright white underparts. Limbs are gray. There is a white stripe on the upper wings. Females have brown plumage with white markings on the wings. There is a white ring-shaped stripe at the base of the beak. Males are larger than females. Young birds look similar to adult females. Blackfish fly easily and quickly, often flapping their wings. They dive well. They make croaking sounds.
The breeding season begins at the end of May. Monogamous pairs form and nest in small groups near colonies of other waterfowl. Nests are made near water on the mainland shore or islands, sometimes on floating vegetation. The nest is a small depression lined with last year's grass, down, and feathers. It reaches 25-30 cm in diameter and 15-17 cm in height.
The clutch contains from 6 to 9 olive-yellow eggs. The incubation period lasts 24-28 days. Only the female incubates the eggs and cares for the chicks. The chicks hatch already covered in down and can walk, swim and feed themselves. They become winged at the age of 40-45 days. In the first 2 weeks after birth, mortality among chicks is very high. A third of the young animals die. Sexual maturity occurs at the age of 1 year. But blackfish usually begin reproducing at 2 years of age.
Behavior and nutrition
During the autumn migration, which begins at the end of August, males and females split into separate flocks. At the same time, drakes winter in more northern latitudes. Sedentary populations are observed off the southern coast of Alaska, on the Aleutian Islands, and in southwestern Iceland. In winter, representatives of the species stay above sea water near the shore. In this case, choose places with a depth of no more than 10 meters. They prefer lagoons, narrow bays, and are found at river mouths and on nearby lakes. Away from the coast, sea sage is extremely rare. In the first year of life, young birds spend the entire summer in wintering areas.
The diet consists of plant and animal foods. They eat crustaceans, mussels, macomas, toothless, earthworms, frogs, small fish, as well as leaves, stems, seeds, and rhizomes of aquatic plants. Thanks to webbed feet, these birds can dive into water up to 6 meters deep and remain under water for a minute. Representatives of the species live outside the nesting period in large flocks that can number thousands of birds.
Number
This species is the object of sport hunting in Denmark, Germany, Greece, France, Ireland, Great Britain, the USA, and Iran. These birds are difficult to hit, as they can reach speeds of up to 120 km/h in the air. Duck numbers are of least concern. There are 4.2 million of them living in North America. In the rest of the world, there are 1.4 million adult individuals.
Even experienced hunters cannot immediately determine the type of their prey - black and white representatives of the family. It’s not a matter of amateurism; the diving crested duck and the sea duck are really very similar species of duck. How to distinguish what are the features of lifestyle and habitat? Let's talk about each in detail.
Tufted duck (nigella, white-sided duck) prefers places with a cold climate. This dark duck can be found all the way to tundra zones. They live collectively, in large flocks, and prefer to remain sedentary. This duck is a diving duck, so it settles near lakes and swamps with lush vegetation. These birds especially often settle in Western Siberia, where the lakes are surrounded by forests.
The body length of a black duck is up to 50 cm, weight - 500-700 g. The body is strong with a large head on a movable neck and gray legs. Button eyes are bright yellow. The shortish blue-gray beak of the tufted duck is wide enough to not release the slippery prey fish. During the mating dances, the drake is especially beautiful - jet-black plumage, white stripes on the sides, and a flirtatious, “combed” back crest on the head. The color of the feathers of females is more restrained, the black color is “diluted” with brown and the white feathers are less noticeable. The crest characteristic of the black duck is shorter.
Attention! Interesting fact. Despite the fact that the corydalis is a duck, it does not make a typical quack. The female croaks, and the male is completely silent or whistles quietly.
The sea duck (white duck) is similar to its crested relative, but an experienced eye will still find several obvious differences:
- These ducks are larger, up to 1300 g.
- There is no crest on the head, and in drakes the color on the back is more “blurred” - it is lighter. The spots on the sides of the head are also slightly different; in the Whitetail they are larger.
- Another characteristic difference between the tufted duck and its relative is the color of the beak, the very tip. The white-sided bird has the entire tip of its beak jet-black. The Whitetail has a barely visible black spot on its beak.
It is worth mentioning another related species of corydalis - the red-headed duck. The drakes of these birds have brighter, more dapper colored plumage with rufous coloring on the head and neck. And the beak is longer. Red-headed ducks prefer more secluded places; they are “based” in dense reeds.
Lifestyle, nutrition
Black ducks are mainly diurnal and are rarely seen at night. They “respect” nepotism and live in huge flocks of up to a thousand individuals. They are reluctant to fly and spend all their time on the water, diving in search of food. Land is the unloved element of these ducks; they move slowly and heavily. The “menu” of these ducks includes fish, aquatic insects and shellfish.
Chernushki and Belouski are migratory ducks. During the winter months they fly to the sea shores of Europe - the geography is great, they like France and Holland, Germany and Belgium. They are based in the Azov and Black Seas.
Nigella ducks are an example of family fidelity. Having created a pair, the birds do not part for the rest of their lives. Mating dance- a beautiful sight. The drake flaps its wings, throws its head back, sticks out its chest, showing itself in all its glory.
Ducks nest near water, making homes out of grass and leaves. Sometimes they can settle in hollows of coastal trees.
Attention! Surprisingly, female black ducks choose the “design” of their nest depending on the location. If the surface is wet, they try to cover their home with sides up to 10 cm. And in a dry place, the duck makes a depression and lines it with its down.
Female white-whiskers and tufted ducks begin breeding at the age of 2 years. When the mating season ends and a cozy nest is ready, the female lays 10-13 eggs. The size of the testicles is about 5 cm. The female incubates the chicks for almost a month, about 28 days. Already “feathered” chicks do not go far from their mother after birth. But they are able to feed themselves, they can walk and swim.
Features of diving ducks
In order to follow their purpose - to dive easily and deeply for prey, nature “gave” swimming membranes to diving ducks. And, unlike ordinary birds, the white-sided and white-sided birds have a “blade” on their finger for fast movement under water. Birds go to depths of up to 10 m and can remain under water for almost a minute. The diving duck has rather short wings - it is more difficult for it to fly, but they do not interfere with its ability to swim quickly underwater. A stump tail is also used for the same purposes.
Dives do not part with their favorite element, water, even when shot. The survival instinct encourages them to move away from the shore, hiding under the river or sea water surface.
The tufted duck, like the sea duck, is an attractive object for sport and photo hunting. Although the meat does not have an excellent taste, it tastes like fish, but the very fact of catching a dexterous, agile bird is of interest.
Diving duck: video
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