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
- Scientific name
- Anas undulata
- Authority
- Dubois, CF, 1838
- Order
- Anseriformes
- Family
- Anatidae
- Genus
- Anas
Range and habitat
- Migration
- Nomadic movement
Conservation
- Population trend
- stable
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
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