African Black Duck
Anas sparsa
A chocolate-brown duck with unmarked underparts, a pale-pink-and-black bill, orange legs, and white spots on the back and rump. A secretive and uncommon resident, preferring well-wooded, fast-flowing rivers but also visiting ponds. It forages mainly at dawn and dusk, dabbling for insects and plant matter. Differentiated from the similar Yellow-billed Duck by darker coloration, shorter neck, and dark, not vivid yellow, bill.
Identification
The African black duck is a black duck with pronounced white marks on its back, a dark bill, and orange legs and feet. A purpish-blue speculum is often visible, especially in flight. It lives in central and southern Africa. It is also known as the black river duck, or (A. s. leucostigma) West African black duck or Ethiopian black duck. It is a medium-sized duck, with a length of 48–57 cm (19–22 in). The male is larger than the female.
Taxonomy
Genus: Anas; Family: Anatidae; Order: Anseriformes.
- Scientific name
- Anas sparsa
- Authority
- Eyton, 1838
- Order
- Anseriformes
- Family
- Anatidae
- Genus
- Anas
Range and habitat
The African black duck is mainly found in eastern and southern sub-Saharan Africa from South Africa north to South Sudan and Ethiopia with outlying populations in western equatorial Africa, in southeast Nigeria, Cameroon and Gabon.
- Migration
- Resident species
Behavior
Migration pattern: Resident species.
Conservation
Population trend: declining.
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
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