| Paradise Shelduck (Tadorna variegata (Gmelin, 1789)) |
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Scientific name: Tadorna variegata (Gmelin, 1789) Common name: Paradise Shelduck Other names: Paradise Duck. Maori name: Putangitangi. French name: Tadorne de paradis, Tadorne de Nouvelle Zélande. Order: Anseriformes Family: Anatidae Size: Body size: 63 to 71 cm; Weight: 1090 to 2000 g; Wingspan: about 90 cm. Habitat: Bodies of calm water, from the small pond to the large lake, estuaries and bays. It is also observed in pastures near these bodies of water. Food: Seeds, insects and earthworms on dry land, aquatic plants, crustaceans and molluscs on bodies of water. Nesting: The nest is placed in a cavity in a tree or rock or in a burrow. It can also be located on the ground in a small depression or in a large clump of grass. There can be 2 clutches per year of 5 to 15 eggs. Migration: Sedentary. Geographic area: Endemic to New Zealand and surrounding islands. |
The Paradise Shelduck shows a very significant sexual dimorphism, in particular the neck and head are black with green reflections on males and white on females. The male has a dark grey body with fine black markings. Tertials and undertails are orange. The secondaries are white. The flight feathers are grey below and black above. The female has an orange body and wings of the same colour as the male. Juveniles resemble the male but females have white at the base of the bill. |
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I think the white at the base of the bill indicates a juvenile female. |
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There is also a large white marking on the back of the neck. |
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Here is a small wide angle photo. This Paradise Shelduck feeds on the small lawn between Taupo town and the lake. |
André Bon September 2024