Scientific name: Anas strepera Linnaeus, 1758
Bird group: Ducks
Field characters. 46-56 cm. Smaller and more slender than Mallard, with more abrupt forehead. Both sexes with white speculum which is sometimes visible at rest and conspicuous in flight, bordered at front by black band and chestnut wing coverts. Male uniform dark grey with black upper and under tail-coverts. At close quarters male shows black and whitish vermiculations on mantle, back, and flanks; breast freckled black with white crescentic markings; underside white. Bill dark grey, legs orange-yellow. Female more delicate and greyer than female Mallard; much less chestnut in front of white speculum; sides of bill yellow; legs yellow. Male in eclipse plumage like female but with greyer and darker upperparts. Juvenile as adult female but orange-like breast streaked instead of spotted.
Voice. Female has a 'quack' like female Mallard but less loud and coarse; male has a deep, nasal croack: 'nhek'.
Distribution. Scarce breeding bird; locally common.
Habitat. In breeding season, prefers fairly shallow, standing or slow-flowing open water with good cover. Outside breeding season on sheltered parts of wetlands, lakes, deltas, and estuaries.
Food. Food chiefly obtained while swimming with head under water. Feeds mainly on vegetative parts of plants: roots, leaves, tubers, buds and seeds.
Eggs. Unmarked, ground colour pale pink or (seldom) grey-green. Texture very smooth. Shape subelliptical/elliptical. Size 55 x 39 mm (51-59 x 35-44), weight 44 g (35-55). Eggs similar to Eurasian Wigeon, but colour slightly warmer; occasionally like Northern Pintail, but lighter in colour.