Madagascar Pochard
Aythya innotata
Extremely rare diving duck that was long thought extinct before being rediscovered in 2006 in a remote site in northern Madagascar. A large duck that is mostly rich brown, with white under the tail. Shows a conspicuous white wing stripe in flight. Males have a pale eye and females a dark one. Lives on freshwater lakes and wetlands. Dives frequently, like a grebe, but is much larger. Lacks the pale face of White-faced Whistling-Duck. Smaller than Meller’s Duck, with darker brown coloration and white under the tail.
识别特征
The pochard is a medium-sized duck between 42 and 56 centimeters in size. Juvenile ducks have brown irises and are a pale, dull brown or chestnut color with a darker stomach. The adults are darker in color, though during a male duck's first winter, its iris will turn white. Breeding males have dark chestnut heads, chins, throats, breasts, and necks, with blackish brown on the top side of the body. Their wings are dark brown with a white bar. The area under the bodies from the stomach to the tail fades to white, as do the undersides of the wings. The beaks and legs are dark grey with black nails.<p>Vocalizations may include "[when] in display [...] the male utters a cat-like wee-oow and a rolling rrr, while the female gives a harsh squak."
分类信息
The Madagascar pochard was largely overlooked by scientists in the 19th century, as those that saw it assumed they were seeing ferruginous ducks instead. Even after its description in 1894 little notice was taken of the species, and even numbers are hard to gauge from early accounts of the species. Based on the accounts written by Webb and Delacour's in the 1920s and 1930s it seemed that the bird was still relatively common at Lake Alaotra.<p>The Madagascar pochard is generally thought to be closely related to the Hardhead, Baer's pochard and ferruginous duck. It is monotypic, having no described or known subspecies.
- 学名
- Aythya innotata
- 命名信息
- (Salvadori, 1894)
- 目
- Anseriformes
- 科
- Anatidae
- 属
- Aythya
分布与栖息地
The species exclusively lives in inland wetlands in Madagascar, where it is endemic. Currently, the only wild populations are at Lake Sofia and Lake Matsaborimena.<p>Historically, the birds preferred shallow lakes and marshes with dense vegetation; however, the rediscovered population was found in a cold, deep crater lake that had few aquatic plants and was surrounded by heavy forest, and other remote crater lakes may have been inhabitable due to the birds' requirements for shallower water. Its previous habitat in the Lake Alaotra basin was disturbed by rice cultivation and invasive introduced fishes.
- 迁徙
- Resident species
行为
Migration pattern: Resident species.
保护状况
Population trend: stable.
- 种群趋势
- stable
照片
分布
其他鸟类
Australasian Shoveler
Spatula rhynchotis
Floats low in the water with an enormous "shovel-like" bill. Males are more brightly colored and have yellow eyes. Females are plainer brown with darker eyes. Note obvious bright orange legs when scanning a row of perched ducks. Feeds on the surface with head submerged. Usually found in large inland wetlands and sewage ponds.
Gough Island Finch
Rowettia goughensis
A large striking finch with a dagger-like bill and different looking sexes. Male is mostly olive with a black throat and yellow eye-ring and moustache; female is brownish and lacks the black throat. Juvenile similar to female but heavily streaked. A critically endangered species endemic to Gough Island, where it is the only songbird; pairs and family groups are widespread on the island, preferring areas above 300 meters of elevation. Male sings a high-pitched whistle, while female answers with a chatter.
Moustached Babbler
Malacopteron magnirostre
Dull gray-brown babbler with a white belly. Namesake moustache is often faint and difficult to see. Sooty-capped Babbler is extremely similar but has a darker brown crown, a darker tail, and no moustache at all. Found in lowland and hill forests. Forages at middle and lower levels, clambering around on branches and trunks in small-to-medium-sized flocks, sometimes with other species. Sings a whistled series of descending notes; pairs often engage in duets. Calls include soft chips and raspy notes.
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