African rowing duck
| African rowing duck | ||||||||||
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African oar duck ( Oxyura maccoa ) |
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| Systematics | ||||||||||
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| Scientific name | ||||||||||
| Oxyura maccoa | ||||||||||
| ( Eyton , 1838) |
The African rowing duck ( Oxyura maccoa ) is a species from the subfamily of rowing ducks . It has three disjoint distribution areas in Africa : the southern tip of the African continent, the north of Kenya and Uganda and along the course of the Blue Nile . The main area of distribution is in South Africa with around 5,000 individuals.
description
The African rowing duck is relatively large compared to the other species of rowing ducks. Their wing length is 17.0 centimeters on average in males and 16.1 centimeters in females. Males have an average weight of 820 grams; Females are significantly lighter with an average of 554 grams.
What is striking about the African rowing duck is the strong, almost chunky-looking beak. Because of the strong, light-colored nail , this species can be easily distinguished from other black-headed rowing ducks. In its splendid dress, the drake has light blue circles under the eyes. The entire head is black. The two sexes look alike when they are resting . The lower third of the head is almost white with chin and throat. The headstock is dark, the beak is dark gray. The change to the other dress takes place in the African wild populations at regionally different times.
Habitat and way of life
African rowing ducks are part of the savannah fauna and can also be found in agricultural zones. They need freshwater lakes surrounded by reeds and benefit from the reservoirs created. When in danger, African rowing ducks do not fly up, but dive into the water. The food consists of fine seeds and greens. Small organisms only play a subordinate role in nutrition.
The breeding season is triggered by the beginning of the rainy season. It therefore runs regionally at different times. The female chooses the nesting site and is solely involved in building the nest. It builds the nests in the reed beds in the shallow water zone. The incubation period is between 25 and 27 days. African rowing ducks kept in captivity have an average clutch of five eggs. The eggs are pale green in color. Only the female leads the chicks. Young birds are able to fly from the 8th week. They reach sexual maturity at around one year.
Duration
Hartmut Kolbe stated in 1999 for this species that it was not endangered as it benefited from the increasing amount of backwater. Birdlife International has revised this assessment. The population is estimated to be 9,000 to 11,700 animals and is now considered to be near threatened . H. the current decline in the population suggests that this species of duck will soon be classified as threatened.
The causes of the population decline are not considered to have been adequately investigated. It is suspected that water pollution, changes in habitat and impairment from fishing. Hunting and impairment by imported plants or animals are not considered to be the cause of the decline in the population.
Attitude in Europe
African rowing ducks are only very rarely kept in European zoos or bred by private individuals. The first European breeding was achieved in 1974 by the English Wildfowl Trust . Tierpark Berlin first bred these ducks in 1979, which it received from the offspring of the Wildfowl Trust.
Individual references, literature and web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ Kolbe, p. 327
- ↑ a b African Ruddy Duck - BirdLife Species Factsheet BirdLife International , accessed October 12, 2008
- ↑ Kolbe, p. 81
- ↑ Kolbe, pp. 81-83
- ^ Kolbe, p. 82
literature
- T. Bartlett: Ducks And Geese - A Guide To Management. The Crowood Press, 2002, ISBN 1-85223-650-7 .
- Hartmut Kolbe: The world's ducks. Ulmer Verlag, 1999, ISBN 3-8001-7442-1 .
Web links
- African Rowing Duck - BirdLife Species Factsheet BirdLife International .
- Oxyura maccoa inthe IUCN 2013 Red List of Threatened Species . Listed by: BirdLife International, 2012. Retrieved September 3, 2013.