Tadorna ferruginea
SUBFAMILY
Tadorninae
TAXONOMY
Anas ferruginea Pallas, 1789, no locality = Tartary. Monotypic.
OTHER COMMON NAMES
English: Brahminy duck; French: Tadorne casarca; German:
Rostgans; Spanish: Taro Canelo.
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS
24.8–26 in (63–66 cm); 2.0–3.6 lb (925–1,640 g). Golden head,
ruddy brown body, and iridescent green secondary feathers.
DISTRIBUTION
Patchy from southern Spain and northwestern Africa east to
Mongolia; winters south of breeding range in Africa, Arabia,
and East Asia.
HABITAT
Brackish lakes, lagoons, and wetlands in mostly open landscapes.
BEHAVIOR
Territorial during breeding season. Asian populations are
mostly migratory.
FEEDING ECOLOGY AND DIET
Feeds on plants and invertebrates on land and water by grazing,
dabbling and upending.
REPRODUCTIVE BIOLOGY
Seasonally monogamous, but pair bonds may last several seasons.
Breeding begins in Mar. or Apr. Nests in cavities. Lays
usually 8–9 eggs; incubation c. 28–29 days; fledging c. 55 days;
becomes sexually mature at 2 years.
CONSERVATION STATUS
Has declined (now recuperating?) in western part of the range
due to hunting and wetland drainage. Asian populations appear
healthy.
SIGNIFICANCE TO HUMANS
Hunted for food.
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