Hartlaub's Duck
Pteronetta hartlaubii
A large, dark chestnut-colored duck found primarily in sheltered fresh and brackish waters in well-wooded areas. In flight, distinctive bright blue upperwings stand out even along shaded creeks and streams. Widespread in the Afrotropical lowlands, but easy to overlook given its habits and habitat. Primary calls consist of hollow “ko-ko-ko” quacking and occasional wheezy whistles.
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Pteronetta hartlaubii
- Authority
- (Cassin, 1860)
- Order
- Anseriformes
- Family
- Anatidae
- Genus
- Pteronetta
Range and habitat
Hartlaub's duck is resident in equatorial West and Central Africa, from Guinea and Sierra Leone east through Nigeria to South Sudan, and south to Gabon, Congo and Zaire.<p>This bird is named after the German naturalist Gustav Hartlaub.<p>Hartlaub’s ducks reside in swampy marshes, tropical forests, savanna areas, rivers, and streams. In Liberia, they live in mangroves. However, they will only gather in flocks in Liberia from January to May. Year-round, they will live in parts of central western Africa, including the Democratic Republic of Congo and Cameroon.
- Migration
- Resident species
Behavior
In flight, Hartlaub’s ducks will quack “ko-ko-ko-ko” or “kakakakarr.” Their conversational sounds are “whit-whit-whit.” When threatened, the males will quack a fast “wheezy whistle.” When juveniles are in distress, they will give three calls in evenly spaced quick descending notes.<p>Their diet consists of aquatic invertebrates, such as insects and crustaceans. The Republic of Congo’s Nouabalé-Ndoki National Park reports that the ducks regularly feed on the insects found in elephant dung. They’ll also eat seeds and insect larvae. To remove ectoparasites, these ducks have been observed jumping onto the backs of bongo and forest buffalo. They are most active in the early morning and evening.
Conservation
In 2006, there were reported to be between 26,000 and 110,000 Hartlaub’s ducks in the world. Hartlaub’s ducks were formerly considered threatened, and as of 2020, they are not considered to be threatened. One of the largest threats to the Hartlaub's duck is forest destruction, hunting, and water pollution from mining and poison-fishing. This species is hunted and traded for medicinal purposes in Nigeria.
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
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