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
- 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
Though it likes to stay in rivers and streams during the day it prefers large open waters during the night. This duck likes water in the wooded hills of Africa and hides its nest near running water. Also the African black duck makes its cup shaped nest of driftwood and matted grass. Though it builds its nest near water it is always above flood level and on the ground.
Conservation
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
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White-faced Whistling-Duck
Dendrocygna viduata
Striking duck with black-and-white head, rufous breast, and barred flanks. Like all whistling-ducks, long neck and legs give it a gooselike appearance. Found in freshwater marshes, lakes, and rice fields. Usually in flocks, sometimes numbering in the hundreds. Quite widespread in South America and Africa. Feeds at night.
White-winged Triller
Lalage tricolor
Small songbird with short, fine bill. Breeding males have black crown and back, white underparts, black wings with bold white wing panels, and black tail with white tip. In nonbreeding plumage crown and back brown, with pale-edged feathers in dark upperwing. Female similar to nonbreeding male. Inhabits lightly wooded areas, especially eucalypt, foraging in pairs or small flocks in the mid- to upper story. Song is a loud, clear series of notes that descend and accelerate into a trill.
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