Masked Duck
Nomonyx dominicus
Reclusive, rarely seen diving duck of tropical lowlands. Feeds mainly at night and spends much of the day sleeping quietly in marshy vegetation, often in small ponds and even in roadside ditches. Rarely seen in flight, but can spring into the air rather than run along the water. Male in breeding plumage has black face mask, bright blue bill, and dark rusty body. Female-plumaged birds are seen much more often: note buffy face with double dark face stripes.
Identification
Breeding adult males have a rust-colored body with a black face and mottled wings. Adult females, winter males, and juveniles have a barred brownish gray body, with two horizontal, dark-colored stripes running through the buff-colored face.
Taxonomy
The only member of the genus Nomonyx, it is intermediate between the rather primitive black-headed duck (Heteronetta) and the very apomorphic true stiff-tailed ducks. It is sometimes included with the latter in the genus Oxyura, but the masked ducks are now considered the descendants of a missing link in the Oxyurini evolution, having changed little for millions of years.
- Scientific name
- Nomonyx dominicus
- Authority
- (Linnaeus, 1766)
- Order
- Anseriformes
- Family
- Anatidae
- Genus
- Nomonyx
Range and habitat
They are found from southern Texas and Mexico to South America and also in the Caribbean. Primarily not migratory, masked ducks are reported as very uncommon vagrants in the southernmost United States, along the Mexican border and in Florida. As of 2000, the conservation status for masked ducks in Texas is 3,800 birds. On April 1, 1962, it was recorded from Lowndes County, Georgia, where it was photographed by Alexander Wetmore. Masked ducks breed in any freshwater body with marsh vegetation and surrounded by heavy tree cover. They also occur in mangrove swamps.
- Migration
- Resident species
Conservation
- Population trend
- stable
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Chestnut-hooded Laughingthrush
Pterorhinus treacheri
Attractive and often confiding laughingthrush, often found around lodges and trails. Endemic to Borneo’s highlands, where it can be one of the most frequently-encountered birds in montane forest and forest edge. Note dark chestnut head, gray body, bright orange bill, and bright silvery wing stripe. Pale crescent behind eye gives it a cartoonishly large-eyed appearance. Hops on the ground and along branches, often with small mammals and other birds, particularly Sunda Laughingthrush. Song, often heard at dawn, is a series of repetitive, rising, mellow warbles. Calls include a harsh buzzing “churrrrr” and rattling notes.
Kolombangara Monarch
Symposiachrus browni
A small black-and-white monarch. Mostly black above with a black head, back, and chest. Note the distinctive white cheek spot and large white wing patch. Note the significant amount of white on undertail. Endemic to Kolombangara, New Georgia, Vangunu, Rendova, and Tetepare, in the southwestern Solomon Islands. Prefers primary forest, but tolerates secondary growth. Occurs up to about 600 meters of elevation. Voice commonly consists of long pulsing whistles or harsh chattering.
Masked Shrike
Lanius nubicus
A delicate-looking long-tailed shrike with striking black-and-white plumage. The male has a rich rusty breast and sides. Female like male but duller, with juvenile grayer and more barred on the upperparts and sides. Often pumps long tail. Forages mainly on arthropods, which it locates from prominent perches. Breeds in a range of wooded habitats, from Mediterranean scrub to open forests and overgrown orchards. During migration, can be seen in various habitats, including gardens and arid zones. Often favors more densely vegetated habitats than other shrikes. Gives a dry “tchrtchrtchr.”
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