Tadorna tadorna
The Common Shelduck, a strikingly patterned waterfowl, blends the characteristics of ducks and geese, earning its unique classification. Adults measure 55-65 cm in length with a wingspan of 100-120 cm and weigh between 800-1500 grams. Their plumage features a pristine white body with a distinctive black back, a glossy dark green head and neck, a broad chestnut band across the breast, and black primary flight feathers. A key field mark for identification is the bright red bill, which on the ma...
Common Shelducks primarily inhabit coastal and estuarine environments, favoring tidal mudflats, saltmarshes, and sandy shores, typically at low elevations.
Their diet consists predominantly of small marine invertebrates, particularly Hydrobia snails, small bivalves, crustaceans, and marine worms, supplemented by some algae and plant matter.
Common Shelducks are diurnal, spending their days foraging in shallow coastal waters and mudflats, often roosting communally on sandbanks or open water at night. Their foraging strategy involves distinctive head-down sifting and dabbling in soft substrates, using their broad bills to filter out s...
The Common Shelduck boasts an extensive breeding range spanning across temperate Eurasia, from the Atlantic coasts of Western Europe and the British Isles, eastward across Central Asia to eastern Siberia and parts of China. Isolated breeding populations also occur in North Africa and parts of the...
Least Concern
- The name 'shelduck' is thought to derive from 'pied duck', referencing its striking black and white plumage. - Unlike most waterfowl, Common Shelducks primarily nest in burrows, often old rabbit or fox dens, providing unique protection from predators. - After breeding, many adults undertake a s...