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Re: Ruddy Shellduck

Jim... and others

Perhaps we need to provide the pictures. We are hoping the bird will venture closer to the viewing area so better pictures can be obtained before submitting them.

My only concern was separating it from the Egyptian Goose, female. However, the very black legs and feet, uniform body color - tan, and dark neck ring, visible on the ventral surface, separate this bird from the goose. Remarkable size. First thing that struck me was how big it was. Wing and tail were dark, with just the smallest patch of white in front of black wing.

Bill

PS: Pictures were taken with 14x optical (10x plus 4x converter) digital camera. Excellent quality. Of the dozen or so pictures, about 5 of them provided spectacular views. Bird is probably 150 to 200 yards away and 40 feet below viewing location.


On Saturday, January 29, 2005, at 08:35 PM, BirderB@aol.com wrote:

The Ruddy Shelduck (Tadorna ferruginea) is a member of the duck family Anatidae. It is in the shelduck subfamily Tadorninae.

There are very small resident populations of this species in north west Africa and Ethiopia,  but the main breeding area of this species is from south east Europe across central Asia.  These ducks are mostly migratory, wintering in southern Asia.

It is presumably this population which gives rise to vagrants as far west as Iceland and Great Britain. However, since the European population is declining, it is likely that most occurrences in western Europe in recent decades are escapes or feral birds. Although this bird is observed in the wild from time to time in eastern North America, no evidence of a genuine vagrant has been found.

 
Bill Fenimore
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