On January 04, 2021, I noticed a few green-headed ducks. I thought they were commonly seen mallards. However, their dazzling white and brown bodies make me think they are not so I took some photos. After I came home, I found their long beaks definitely made them a different kind of duck. Breeding male has a green head, oversized black bill, white chest and black back. Female has a brown head and body.
2021.01.04我注意到幾隻綠頭的鴨子，原本以為是常看到的綠頭鴨，但是它們耀眼的白色及褐色的身體，直覺上覺得可能不是，所以照了些照片，回來才發現它們的長喙，使它們自成一類。繁殖雄鴨頭部是綠色的，喙超大，胸部白色，背部黑色。雌鴨則有棕色的頭部和身體。
Photo Date: 2021.01.04, 2021.01.05 Location: Peck Road Park
Photo Date: 2021.01.17 Location: Peck Road Park
Notes 筆記
- Northern Shoveler is a common and widespread duck, with populations living and breeding across parts of the Americas, Europe, Africa, and Asia.
- The name Spatula is the Latin for a “spoon” or “spatula”. The specific epithet is derived from Latin clypeata, “shield-bearing” . The bill of the Northern Shoveler is big (about 2.5 inches long) and shaped like a shovel. Its bill also has about 110 fine projections (called lamellae) along the edges that act like a colander, filtering out tiny crustaceans, seeds, and aquatic invertebrates from the water. Northern Shovelers use their large spoon-shaped bills to strain the water for crustaceans when feeding.
- Northern Shovelers swim through wetlands, often with their bills down in the water, swinging them side to side to filter out tiny crustacean prey. Sometimes large groups swim in circles to stir up food. They don’t forage on land regularly, but they do rest on land and walk along wetland edges.
- The shovelers are fairly social ducks, occurring in groups with shovelers and other dabbling ducks, especially during the winter. They prefer to nest in grassy areas away from open water. The drakes are very territorial during breeding season and will defend their territory and partners from competing males. Drakes also engage in elaborate courtship behaviors, both on the water and in the air; it is not uncommon for a dozen or more males to pursue a single hen. Despite their stout appearance, shovelers are nimble fliers.
- Northern Shovelers are monogamous and remain together longer than pairs of most other dabbling ducks.
- 琵嘴鴨是一種常見且分佈廣泛的鴨子，在美洲、歐洲、非洲和亞洲的部分地區生活和繁殖。
- 它名字中Spatula是拉丁語“勺”或“鍋鏟”的意思。種小名來自拉丁語clypeata，“盾形”的意思。琵嘴鴨的嘴很大(約2.5英寸長)，形狀像鐵鍬。它的嘴邊緣有約110個細小凸出物（稱為薄片），像漏勺一樣，從水中過濾出微小的甲殼類動物、種子和水生無脊椎動物。(註: 根據中文維基百科，體大嘴長，末端寬大有如鏟子因為其喙形如琵琶，故而得名琵嘴鸭。又名琵琶嘴鴨、鏟土鴨、杯鑿、廣味鳧。)
- 琵嘴鴨在濕地中游泳，通常將其嘴放在水中，左右擺動以濾除微小的甲殼類的獵物。有時一大群鴨會圍成一圈游泳，把食物攪動上來。它們不經常在陸地上覓食，但會在陸地上休息並沿著濕地邊緣漫步。
- 琵嘴鴨是相當群居的鴨子，特別是在冬天與琵嘴鴨和其他涉水鴨子成群出現。它們喜歡在遠離開闊水域的草地上築巢。在繁殖季節，它們有強烈的地域性，會保護自己的領域和伴侶免受競爭雄鴨的侵害。 它們在水上和空中也都有精心的求偶行為，常常會有一打或更多的雄鴨追逐一隻母鴨。雖然它們外形肥碩，但它們的飛行靈活。
- 琵嘴鴨是一夫一妻制，並且在一起的時間比大多數其他涉水鴨子更長。
References 參考資料
- Wikipedia: Northern shoveler
- All about birds: Northern Shoveler
- 維基百科: 琵嘴鸭
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