Velvet Scoter (Melanitta fusca)
Ruddy Shelduck (Tadorna ferruginea)
White secondaries the most striking feature in all plumages. Generally heavy built with large bill, heavy head, thick neck and short tail. Male: black with white crescent below eye and partly orange bill. Female sooty black with variable light patches at lore and cheek. Flaps it's wings with a raised head when on water. Dives without jumping and with wings slightly open. Swimming birds may not always show white secondaries. Tends to form less dense flocks than Common Scoter, often with birds in single file.
Sound:Seldom heard. Calls: Short accented "tup tup tup" and a shivering "gahhahahaha".
Distribution:Wikipedia: map (se also Xeno-canto below)
Ecology:Birdlife ecology
Links:
Observation.org Latest observations
Image search Flickr NB! May give other species
CCMay only be confused with Egyptian Goose, but differs in short, dark legs, dark bill, thicker neck, rufous belly and lack of eye-patch. Black and white wings conspicuous in flight as in Egyptian Goose, but lacks thin, black stripe at rear of white coverts. Sexes quite similar. Male with ringed neck in breeding plumage, and female with more contrasting facial pattern. Immature similar to female, but with "dirty" white wing-patches. Less dependent on water than most other ducks.
Sound:Distinct voice and quite vocal. Nasal, trumpeting, donkey-like calls, often drawn out to a rattling, trill (Chewbacca of Star Wars). Male higher pitched than female.
Call/song:
Distribution:
Xeno-canto: map
Ecology:Birdlife ecology
Links:
Observation.org Latest observations
Image search Flickr NB! May give other species
CC