What kind of wild duck has a white head?

The white-headed duck (Oxyura leucocephala) is a small diving duck some 45 cm (18 in) long. The male has a white head with black crown, a blue bill, and reddish-grey plumage….

Why is it called a shelduck?

The specific epithet comes from the French word Tadorne for this species, a name that was used by the French naturalist Pierre Belon in 1555. It may originally derive from Celtic roots meaning “pied waterfowl”, essentially the same as the English “shelduck”.

What are the different types of mergansers?

Common merganser
Red-breasted merganserScaly-sided merganserBrazilian merganserNew Zealand merganser
Typical mergansers/Lower classifications

What does a ruddy shelduck look like?

It is a distinctive waterfowl, 58 to 70 cm (23 to 28 in) in length with a wingspan of 110 to 135 cm (43 to 53 in). It has orange-brown body plumage with a paler head, while the tail and the flight feathers in the wings are black, contrasting with the white wing-coverts.

What duck has a white head and black body?

Only Hooded Mergansers have a similar large white head patch, but their dark bodies and thin black bills make them easy to distinguish. Female Buffleheads are mostly dull gray.

How many white-headed ducks are left?

Numbers of White-headed Ducks were particularly high in the post-breeding and autumn migration period. There was a positive population trend across the past two decades, including high counts in 2016 and 2017, with more than 20 000 and about 7500 individuals, respectively, suggesting a population increase.

Is shelduck a duck?

The shelduck is a big, white duck, with a dark green head, bright red bill, orangey-brown band around the breast, and black patches on the back and wings.

How do you identify a merganser?

The Four Keys to ID

1. Size & Shape. These are large, long-bodied ducks with thin, pointed wings.
2. Adult males are crisply patterned with gleaming white bodies and dark, iridescent-green heads for most of the year.
3. Common Mergansers dive underwater to catch fish.
4. These ducks live mainly on freshwater rivers and lakes.

What’s the difference between a merganser and a duck?

The long, narrow bill with serrated edges readily distinguishes mergansers from all other ducks. Common mergansers are among the largest ducks, but are less stocky than eiders and goldeneyes. In flight, they appear more elongated than other ducks, flying in trailing lines close to the water’s surface.

Is a ruddy shelduck rare in the UK?

The Ruddy Shelduck is a very rare migrant to the UK, Isle of Man, and Ireland. It may have been more regular in the past but hasn’t occurred in many years. The conservation status for this species is “not assessed’ in the UK because it only occurs as a very rare migrant.

Where is ruddy shelduck found?

The Ruddy Shelduck (Tadorna ferruginea), known in India as the Brahminy Duck, is a winter visitor to the Chandigarh region. They are the first to arrive and can be seen on Sukhna Lake, Mote Majra, Siswan and other water bodies around the Tricity.