Yellow-billed Duck
Anas undulata
A brown duck with a vividly yellow bill and white scalloping on the feathers, giving it a scaly appearance, especially on the underparts. A common resident and nomad through Africa’s freshwater and brackish wetlands, where it forages for plants and invertebrates. The similar African Black Duck differs from Yellow-billed Duck by being darker overall and having white spots on the upperparts, a bull-neck, and a pale-pink-and-black bill.
Identification
These are mallard-sized mainly grey ducks with a darker head and bright yellow bill. The wings are whitish below, and from above show a white-bordered green speculum. Sexes are similar, and juveniles are slightly duller than adults. The north-eastern race is darker and has a brighter bill and blue speculum.<p>It is a bird of freshwater habitats in fairly open country and feeds by dabbling for plant food mainly in the evening or at night. It nests on the ground in dense vegetation near water. Rarely, it is found in suburban areas, in close proximity to golf courses, parks and lakes or dams. The clutch numbers between six and twelve eggs.<p>The male has a teal-like whistle, whereas the female has a mallard-like quack.<p>There are two subspecies of the yellow-billed duck: A. undulata rueppelli (northern yellow-billed duck) and A. undulata undulata (southern yellow-billed duck). The yellow-billed duck is one of the species to which the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA) applies. The southern nominate subspecies is declining due to competition and hybridization with feral mallards (Rhymer 2006).
Taxonomy
Genus: Anas; Family: Anatidae; Order: Anseriformes.
- Scientific name
- Anas undulata
- Authority
- Dubois, CF, 1838
- Order
- Anseriformes
- Family
- Anatidae
- Genus
- Anas
Range and habitat
- Migration
- Nomadic
Behavior
Migration pattern: Nomadic.
Conservation
Population trend: stable.
- Population trend
- stable
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Appert's Tetraka
Xanthomixis apperti
Pretty, medium-sized tetraka. Green back, gray head, and rich yellow underparts. Rare and localized Madagascar endemic that is found in a handful of forest patches in the southwest. Most often seen in the understory of western deciduous forest. Often in pairs, small flocks, or mixed-species flocks. Call is a series of silvery, sputtered “spit” notes. In its small range, separated from Spectacled Tetraka by its brighter underparts, gray head, and pale eye-stripe. Much smaller and more brightly colored than Long-billed Bernieria.
Swinhoe's Rail
Coturnicops exquisitus
This sparrow-sized rail moves like a ghost through grassy meadows and wetlands. Prefers to run instead of fly, but white wing patches are unmistakable if seen. Flight is weak with dangling legs, drops into cover quickly. Belly is white with brown bars on the sides and upperparts are darker brown with fine white stripes. Voice is the only way to detect this species; its repertoire is varied, with grunts, squeals, and tapping notes.
Black-sided Robin
Poecilodryas hypoleuca
A medium-sized, fairly small bird of lowland and foothill forest interior. Black upperparts, head and marks on the sides of the chest, underparts white up to the bill, thin white eye-brow, wedge below the eye and patch in the wing. Shy and difficult to see. Very similar to Black- chinned Robin and co-occurs in some areas, but Black-sided has black on the sides of the chest, and has a narrower white eyebrow. Heard more often than seen. Voice, a distinctive “wee-chow!”, the second note with an explosive quality.
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