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| Kingdoms / Animalia / Craniata / Aves / Anseriformes / Anatidae / Netta / Species |
| < > Netta erythrophthalma - Southern pochard (Click photographs/illustrations: full picture & further details) |
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Alternative Names (Synonyms) |
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| Red-eyed pochard African pochard South African pochard (Netta erythrophthalma. brunnea) South American pochard (Netta erythrophthalma erythrophthalma) Rotaugenente (German) Netta brune (French) Canard plongeur austral (French) Zambullidor austral (Spanish) Pato morado (Spanish) Netta erythrophthalma. erythrophthalma - South American southern pochard Netta erythrophthalma brunnea - African southern pochard Aythya erythrophthalma |
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Names for newly-hatched |
Duckling, downy. |
Names for non-breeding males or other colour-phases |
Eclipse |
Species Author |
Debra Bourne |
Major References |
B1, B3, B6, B8, B19, B25, B26. |
Other References |
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TAXA Group (where information has been collated for an entire group on a modular basis) |
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Parent Group |
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Specific Needs Group referenced in Management Techniques |
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Aviculture Information |
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Notes |
General information:
Species-specific information:
Aviornis UK Ringing Scheme suggested average closed ring size: L 11.0mm (D8). |
Management Techniques |
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External Appearance (Morphology)
Measurement & Weight |
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| Length | 20 inches, 51cm (B3); 50-51cm (B1) | |
| Adult weight | General | 533-1000g (B1) |
| Male | 600-977g (B3); mean 1.8 lbs. (B8). | |
| Female | 533-1000g (B3); mean 1.7 lbs. (B8). | |
| Newly-hatched weight | -- | |
| Growth rate | -- | |
| Adult | Bill | Male | Long, pale blue-grey, black nail (B3, B5, B8, B25, B26). |
| Variations (If present) | Female: Duller grey (B3, B5, B8, B25, B26). | ||
| Eyes (Iris) | Male | Red (B3, B5, B8, B25, B26). | |
| Variations(If present) | Female: Brown (B3, B5, B8, B25, B26). | ||
| Juvenile | Bill | Grey (B3, B5). | |
| Eyes (Iris) | Brown (B3, B5). | ||
| Adult | Male | Dark grey (B3, B5, B25, B26) |
| Variations (If present) | -- | |
| Juvenile | Dark grey (B3, B5). | |
| Adult | Male | Head, neck, breast black with purple gloss and slight peak to crown, underparts black, flanks rich chestnut, upperparts very dark brown. Wings dark brown with secondaries and primaries white, tipped in brown and with more brown on outer primaries. (B3, B5, B25, B26) |
| Variations (If present) | Female:- head
reddish brown, darker on crown, white near bill, white throat continues up in
crescent to behind eye, breast and underparts buff-brown with some whitish
mottling/barring, whitish undertail, upperparts dark brown. Wings as male. (B3, B5, B8, B25) Male Netta erythrophthalma brunnea:-slightly paler , browner (B8, B26). |
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| Juvenile | Similar to female but head browner, facial markings less distinct, body lighter brown (B3, B25). | |
Newly-hatched Characteristics |
| General: crest and
upperparts olive-brown with yellow patches on wing and sides; underparts
yellow, including face (B1, B5) Bill: Pale pinkish grey (B5). Feet: Dark olive-grey (B5). |
Reproductive Season |
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| Time of year | Year-round in Africa - timing depends on water availability, therefore mainly March to August in northern areas of Africa, August to December in southern Africa (B1, B3, B8). |
| No. of Clutches | -- |
Nest placement and structure |
| In thick vegetation on ground near water or in emergent vegetation over water, depression lined with grass, reeds, down, some feathers (B1, B3, B8, B25, B26). |
Egg clutches |
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| No. of Eggs | Average | 9 (B1, B3, B8) |
| Range | 5-15 (B1, B8); 6-13 (B26); 6-15 (B3). | |
| Egg Description | Creamy white to light brown/pink-tinged (B3, B8); size: 54x44mm; weight: 59g (B3). | |
| 26d (in captive birds) (B8); 26-28 days (B1); 23-25days (B5, B26); 26 days (B3). |
| Synchronous. |
| About 49-65 days (B8); 56-65 days (B1). |
Sexual Maturity |
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| Males | -- |
| Females | -- |
Feeding Behaviour |
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| Adults | Dive, head-dip, up-end and dabble (B1, B3, B5, B25). |
| Newly-hatched | Feed on surface among weeds at edge of reed bed (B5). |
Parental Behaviour |
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| Nest-building | -- |
| Incubation | By female only (B3). |
| Newly-hatched | Probably tended only by female, but attendance by male has been suggested (B3, B8). |
| Juveniles | -- |
Social Behaviour |
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| Intra-specific | Usually found as pair or in small groups, with larger groups on some waters outside breeding season (B5, B25, B26) |
| Inter-specific | -- |
Sexual Behaviour |
| Temporary pair bond formed before breeding season (B25). |
Predation in Wild |
| -- |
| -- | |
| Circadian | -- |
| Mainly vegetarian; seeds, also roots and other parts aquatic plants, grasses, sedges, and aquatic snails, insects (e.g. beetles), crustaceans (B1, B5, B26). |
| Insects and vegetation (B5). |
Distribution and Movement (Migration etc.) |
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| Normal | N. e. brunnea East,
central and south Africa, from Namibia, Zambia, south-east and central eastern Zaire,
Uganda, Kenya south to South Africa. Reaches Angola, north central, northeastern Zaire,
southeast Sudan, Ethiopia, southern Somalia (B1, B19). N. e. erythrophthalma Locally in South America: Colombia, northwestern Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru, eastern Brazil.; reaches northwestern Argentina, northern Chile (B1, B19). Disperse in dry season, with south African birds migrating north as far as Kenya (B1). |
| Occasional and Accidental | -- |
| Introduced | -- |
| Large, deep, permanent fresh and brackish lakes to 2400m in Africa; shallow marshes, pools, lakes with abundant aquatic vegetation up to 3650m (South America) (B1, B5, B19, B25). |
Intraspecific variation |
| Two subspecies recognised: Netta erythrophthalma erythropthalma in South America, and the slightly paler , browner Netta erythrophthalma brunnea in Africa (B8, B26). |
Conservation Status |
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| Wild Population - (Importance) |
Not globally threatened but severe declines in South America (B1, B8) |
| CITES listing | -- |
| Red-data book listing | -- |
| Threats | Loss of habitat to agriculture (B1, B8) |
Captive Populations |
| Netta erythrophthalma brunnea well represented in collections; but Netta erythrophthalma erythropthalma is not (B8). |
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