Duck shelduck: breed description and photo

2024 Author: Howard Calhoun | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 10:16

The shelduck duck is one of the most colorful representatives of the duck family due to the characteristic contrasting color of the plumage. This unique bird has some features common to geese and swans. From the former, she “adopted” the manner of behavior on the ground and in the air: a shelduck is a duck that moves easily, quickly and a lot on land, and in flight it keeps straight, flies slowly and rarely flaps its wings like geese. With swans, she is united by monogamy in marital relations: males and females create strong alliances for life.

Description of shelduck duck

This is a fairly large waterfowl with characteristic bright plumage. In length, females reach 58 cm, males - 65 cm, and their wingspan varies from 110 to 130 cm. This species differs from its relatives in an elongated neck and high legs. The weight of males is 0.9-1.65 kg, females - 0.6-1.3 kg.

As you can see in the photo, the shelduck differs from other ducks in its variegated color, which includes several bright colors. The general white background of the plumage clearly contrasts with the bright black color of the head, neck, wingtips and middleparts of the abdomen and back. The picturesque appearance of this bird is given by a red chestnut band covering the chest, shoulder blades and part of the back, as well as a red undertail, pink legs and a red beak.

The characteristic features of males include bright green mirrors on the wings and a pineal growth of the same color as the beak that adorns the upper beak. In females, the feathers around the eyes are white.

Habitat

The shelduck duck has been listed in the Red Book for quite a long time, as its population is steadily declining. Depending on the habitat conditions, these birds are divided into two subgroups. One of them inhabits saline and brackish water sources of the arid regions of Central Asia, the second - the sea coasts of Europe. On the territory of Russia, this species can be found in the steppe and forest-steppe southern zone, as well as on the White Sea islands.

These birds arrive at nesting sites in early spring. For the construction of future nests, they choose water sources with brackish or s alt water, located near stone screes or sand dunes.

Reproduction

Puberty in male shelduck ducks occurs at 4-5 years of age, but in females the ability to lay eggs occurs twice as early. The mating season for these birds begins after arrival at the nesting sites, and offspring appear only by summer. A potential "bride" can be "looked after" by up to 9 "grooms" at the same time. During the ritual, males make high-pitched squeaky sounds, stretch their necks,nod their heads and bow. Mating dances alternate with fights between competitors. The female goes to the strongest and most warlike male, who won the fights of the other applicants.

Having formed a pair, the birds go in search of a nesting place, which can be located at a fairly remote distance from the coast. As nests, shelducks most often use old hollows in trees or free burrows of various animals: badgers, marmots, foxes, corsacs, but they themselves can dig quite deep underground dwellings. Sometimes couples build open nests in bushy vegetation.

The female lines the bottom of the burrow with down and dry grass, and then lays her eggs. On average, the clutch consists of 8-12 eggs, but sometimes their number can reach up to 18 pieces. Periodically leaving the nest, the duck covers the eggs with fluff. During the last two days before the appearance of the chicks, the mother hen does not leave the dwelling. The incubation period lasts an average of 30 days, and all this time the drakes live near the nest, protecting their "wife" and future offspring from predators.

Chick development

Ducklings are born in a downy "fur coat" and are already fully developed. They almost immediately leave the nest and run well. At the same time, if their house is located high, the chicks fearlessly jump to the ground. For feeding, parents lead their offspring to the shore of the reservoir. Many babies have to overcome impressive distances from the nest to the shore.

During the journey to the pond, the duck goes ahead of the chicks, anddrake - on the side or closes the column, guarding his family.

Sometimes, on the shore, the offspring of several couples unite in flocks, creating a kind of "kindergartens" guarded by parents-fathers, between whom conflicts periodically flare up because of their zealous attitude to their duties as protectors. In some cases, the winner drives several defeated males from the feeding place, adding their broods to their chicks.

Until the age of one and a half months, the young live near their native nest under the protection of their parents, although the drake refuses his father's duties before the duck. At 7-8 weeks after birth, ducklings leave their homes and begin an independent existence.

Sheds diet

The rhythm of life and the "menu" of the shelduck duck is determined by the characteristics of the habitat. This bird swims well, keeping its body high on the water. As for diving, this type of duck does not practice such a technique for obtaining food.

The shelduck's diet consists mainly of seafood. During high tides, ducks rest on the shore or in the water, and after low tide they go to shallow water, hunting for crustaceans and molluscs. In addition, birds feed on algae, earthworms, fish eggs and fry, aquatic insects and other living creatures.

In addition to marine life, shelducks eat a variety of insects living on land, as well as vegetative shoots and seeds of some plants. These birds do not like the freshwater "menu", so they practically do not nest near freshwater sources.

For example, in the North Atlanticcoast, the diet of shelducks consists of 90% small littoral snails Hydrobia ulvae, near the shores of the Azov and Black Seas, as well as water bodies of Asia, these ducks feed on Artemia crustaceans and pusher mosquito larvae.

Change plumage

The process of molting in male shelducks begins faster than in females. As mentioned above, drakes leave their offspring before their "spouses", because they have a period of feathering, during which they are not able to fly. Males gather in huge flocks on the coasts of reservoirs. After the young stand on the wing, the molt begins in the females, who immediately join the male society.

When the process of changing plumage ends, adult birds still continue to live in flocks, which are replenished with young ones. Sheldocks lead a colonial lifestyle until the very departure.

Enemies of the shelduck

In the wild, the enemies of these birds are foxes, minks, jackals, wild cats, otters, hawks, harriers and kites. These predators are dangerous not only for young animals, but also for adult birds. But crows and seagulls are not averse to eating eggs and small chicks.

Commercial value of the shelduck

Being extraordinarily beautiful birds, shelducks have always been the object of hunting, although they did not belong to the mass game species. To date, the fishing of this bird is strictly prohibited, as some of its species are on the verge of extinction. The common shelduck is able to breed in captivity, so it is raised asdecorative bird to decorate park ponds.

In some European countries, the collection of down from duck nests is practiced, since in its quality it is not inferior to eider down. As for the nutritional value of wild shelduck meat, in summer it is practically inedible, because it has a rather unpleasant smell. With the onset of cold weather, its quality improves, but in Europe it is still considered unfit for human consumption.

Farmers who breed this bird in captivity, if they slaughter it for food, then only in winter. At the same time, before cooking the shelduck duck, it is gutted and left in the cold for a couple of days so that the meat “ripens” and its unpleasant smell decreases.

The heat treatment of this type of duck is carried out in the same way as for other game, that is, by frying, boiling, stewing or baking. Thus, how to cook a shelduck duck, everyone decides for himself, based on his personal taste preferences. But, regardless of the recipe chosen, it should be remembered that its meat is “not friendly” with most spices, with the exception of black pepper and s alt, so you should not experiment with various seasonings.