Ruddy shelduck facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Ruddy shelduck |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Pair of ruddy shelducks | |
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Tadorna
|
| Species: |
ferruginea
|
 |
|
| Range of T. ferruginea (Compiled by: BirdLife International and Handbook of the Birds of the World (2016) 2014.) Breeding Resident Non-breeding | |
| Synonyms | |
|
Anas ferruginea |
|
The ruddy shelduck (Tadorna ferruginea) is a type of large duck. People in India sometimes call it the Brahminy duck. It belongs to the duck family called Anatidae.
This bird is easy to spot. It is about 58 to 70 centimeters (23 to 28 inches) long. Its wings can spread out from 110 to 135 centimeters (43 to 53 inches). The ruddy shelduck has a bright orange-brown body. Its head is a lighter orange-brown. Its tail and wing tips are black. But the top parts of its wings are white, which looks cool when it flies!
Ruddy shelducks are migratory birds. This means they fly to different places for different seasons. They spend winter in places like India. They breed in southeastern Europe and central Asia. Some small groups live all year in North Africa. These ducks make a loud honking sound.
They like to live near water. You can find them by lakes, rivers, and reservoirs. A male and female ruddy shelduck stay together for life. Their nest might be far from water. They often build it in a hole in a cliff or tree. The female lays about eight eggs. She sits on them for about four weeks. Both parents take care of the young. The young birds learn to fly after about eight weeks.
In Asia, the number of ruddy shelducks is staying the same or even growing. But in Europe, their numbers are going down. Overall, these ducks live in many places. There are lots of them in total. So, experts say they are a "least concern" species. This means they are not in danger of disappearing right now.
Contents
About the Ruddy Shelduck
The ruddy shelduck is part of a group of ducks called shelducks. This group is named Tadorna. The first person to describe this bird was Peter Simon Pallas in 1764. He first called it Anas ferruginea. Later, it was moved to the Tadorna group.
The name Tadorna comes from a French word. It might mean "pied waterfowl" (a bird with two colors). The word "sheld duck" means the same thing. The second part of its scientific name, ferruginea, is Latin. It means "rusty," which describes its orange-brown color.
What Does It Look Like?
The ruddy shelduck is a medium-sized duck. It is about 58 to 70 cm (23 to 28 in) long. Its wings can spread 110 to 135 cm (43 to 53 in) wide. The male duck has an orange-brown body. Its head and neck are a lighter orange-brown. There is a thin black ring around its neck.
The male's tail and flight feathers are black. It also has shiny green feathers on the inside of its wings. The top and bottom parts of its wings are white. You can see this white color very well when the bird is flying. Its beak is black, and its legs are dark grey.
The female duck looks similar to the male. But her head and neck are paler, almost whitish. She does not have the black ring around her neck. Both male and female ducks' colors can change. Their feathers fade as they get older. After breeding season, the male loses his black neck ring. But it grows back later in the year. Young ruddy shelducks look like the female. But they are a darker brown color.
The ruddy shelduck makes loud, honking sounds. These sounds are a bit like a trumpet. You can often tell the difference between the male's and female's calls. They make these sounds both on the ground and in the air. The sounds can change depending on what the duck is doing.
Where Do They Live?
Small groups of ruddy shelducks live in Northwest Africa and Ethiopia. But most of them breed in southeastern Europe and across Asia. This area goes all the way to Lake Baikal in Mongolia and western China. Ducks from the eastern parts usually fly to the Indian subcontinent for winter.
These ducks have also started living on the island of Fuerteventura in the Canary Islands. They first bred there in 1994. By 2008, there were almost fifty pairs. In India, ruddy shelducks are common visitors in winter. They arrive by October and leave by April.
They like to live near large wetlands and rivers. They especially like places with mud flats and shingle banks. You can find many of them on lakes and reservoirs. In places like Jammu and Kashmir, they breed in high mountain lakes and swamps. When it's not breeding season, they prefer slow rivers, ponds, and flooded grasslands. They can even live in brackish lagoons, which have a mix of fresh and salty water.
Ruddy shelducks are becoming rare in parts of Europe. But they are still common in much of Asia. Sometimes, these ducks fly far away from their usual homes. They have been seen in places like Iceland and Great Britain. However, many ducks seen in Western Europe might be birds that escaped from zoos. Or they could be feral birds, meaning they were once tame but now live in the wild.
In Switzerland, the ruddy shelduck is seen as an invasive species. This means it can cause problems for local birds. Even with efforts to control them, the number of ruddy shelducks in Switzerland grew a lot from 2006 to 2016.
An interesting group of ruddy shelducks lives in Moscow, Russia. They live in city parks alongside other ducks. People think these ducks are descendants of birds that escaped from the Moscow Zoo. Unlike wild ruddy shelducks, these city ducks do not migrate. They stay in Moscow all winter in parts of the city's water that don't freeze.
These ducks mostly like open areas near water. They are rarely seen in forests. They can live at high altitudes too. In central Asia, they are one of the few waterbirds found on lakes as high as 5,000 meters (16,400 feet).
Behavior and Life Cycle
The ruddy shelduck is mostly active at night. It eats both plants and small animals. Its diet includes grasses, young plant shoots, grains, and water plants. It also eats small creatures like insects and worms. On land, it eats plants. In the water, it dips its head to find food in shallow areas. It can also tip its body upside down to reach deeper food. But it does not dive completely underwater.
Ruddy shelducks are usually seen in pairs or small groups. They do not often form very large flocks. However, when they are molting (losing their feathers) or in winter, they can gather in huge groups. These large gatherings happen on certain lakes or slow rivers. More than four thousand birds have been seen together in Nepal. Over ten thousand have been counted at Lake Düden in Turkey.
Reproduction
Ruddy shelducks arrive at their breeding places in central Asia in March and April. The male and female form a very strong bond. It is believed they stay together for their whole lives. When they are breeding, these ducks can be very aggressive. They will chase away other ruddy shelducks and even other bird species.
The female duck will approach other birds with her head low. She stretches her neck out and makes angry sounds. If the other bird does not leave, the female might run back to the male. She will try to get him to attack. Mating happens on the water. It involves a short dance where they stretch their necks and dip their heads.
The nest is often built far from water. They might use a hole in a tree or a ruined building. They also use cracks in cliffs, sand dunes, or animal burrows. The female builds the nest. She uses feathers, soft down, and some grasses.
The female lays about eight eggs. She might lay anywhere from six to twelve eggs. This usually happens between late April and early June. The eggs are creamy-white and have a dull shine. They are about 68 by 47 millimeters (2.7 by 1.9 inches). The female sits on the eggs to keep them warm. The male stays nearby to guard her. The eggs hatch after about 28 days. Both parents take care of the young birds. The young can fly after about 55 days.
After breeding, the adult ducks molt. This means they lose their flight feathers. They cannot fly for about a month during this time. Before molting, they move to large bodies of water. This helps them stay safe from predators while they cannot fly. The family might stay together for a while. The autumn migration starts around September. Young ducks can start having their own families when they are about two years old.
Conservation Status
Buddhists consider the ruddy shelduck to be a sacred bird. This helps protect the ducks in central and eastern Asia. In these areas, their numbers are stable or even growing. The Pembo Black-necked Crane Reserve in Tibet is an important place for ruddy shelducks in winter. They are protected there.
However, in Europe, the number of ruddy shelducks is going down. This is because wetlands are being drained. Also, people hunt these birds. But ruddy shelducks are quite good at adapting. They can live in new places like reservoirs. This makes them less vulnerable than some other water birds.
The ruddy shelduck lives in a very large area. Experts believe there are between 170,000 and 225,000 of these birds in total. It is hard to say if the overall population is growing or shrinking. Some local groups are increasing, while others are decreasing.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) checks on animals around the world. They have decided that the ruddy shelduck is a "least concern" species. This means it is not in danger of extinction. The ruddy shelduck is also part of an agreement called AEWA. This agreement helps protect migratory waterbirds in Africa and Eurasia.
