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| SCIENTIFIC
CLASSIFICATION |
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| COMMON
NAME: |
Cape
shelduck, South African shelduck |
| KINGDOM: |
Animalia |
| PHYLUM: |
Chordata |
| CLASS: |
Aves |
| ORDER: |
Anseriformes |
| FAMILY: |
Anatidae |
| GENUS
SPECIES: |
Tadorna
(a sheldrake) cana (gray) |
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| DESCRIPTION: |
The
Cape shelduck has a gray head and neck with a buff
breast. The rest of the body is chestnut red. |
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| SIZE: |
37.5-60 cm (15-24 in.) in length; wingspan 87.5-125
cm (35-50 in.) |
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| WEIGHT: |
1.5-2.3 kg (3.3-4.9 lb) |
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| DIET: |
Feeds
on snails, mussels, frogs, earthworms, and insects |
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| INCUBATION: |
30 days |
| CLUTCH
SIZE |
7-15
eggs |
| FLEDGING
DURATION |
70 days |
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| SEXUAL
MATURITY: |
Approximately
2-3 years |
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| LIFE
SPAN: |
Up
to 22 years |
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| HABITAT: |
Inhabits
riverbanks, ponds and shallow lakes |
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| POPULATION: |
GLOBAL |
Unknown |
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| STATUS: |
IUCN |
Not
listed |
| CITES |
Not
listed |
| USFWS |
Not
listed |
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| 1. |
In
the wild, these ducks may use holes and burrows
made by other animals to build their nest. |
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| 2. |
Within days of hatching, the young are led from
the nest to what field scientists call 'nursery
water' by both parents or sometimes by other adults.
This distance can be a mile or more! In the nursery
there are several young from other shelducks together
under the care of one or more adults. The nursery
group (or crèche) varies in size and age
range (a normal size crèche is 20-40 individuals,
but some groups of 100 have been recorded). Scientists
believe the nursery supervisors are failed breeders
or non-breeders. |
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| 3. |
Shelducks are not diving birds, but they are able
to dive if needed. The young ducklings dive freely
but the adults only do so when wounded or frightened.
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These
ducks depend on very few localities when it gathers
in large numbers to molt.
Cape
shelducks use the black-backed jackals's and other
mammals's burrows for nesting sites and may be
in danger themselves because of declining jackal
populations.
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|
|
| Austin,
G. Birds of the World. New York. Golden Press,
Inc., 1961. |
|
|
Gotch, A.F. Birds - Their Latin Names Explained.
UK. Blandford Books Ltd., 1981. |
|
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Johnsgard, P. Ducks, Geese, and Swans of the
World. Lincoln. Univ. Of Neb. Press, 1978.
|
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| Scott,
P. A Coloured Key of the Wildfowl of the World.
Slimbridge, England. The Wildfowl Trust. 1988. |
|
| Todd,
F.S. Natural History of Waterfowl. San Diego,
Ca. Ibis Publishing Co., 1996. |
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