Basic Information
Scientific classification
- Chinese name: Brown-capped Shovel
- Scientific name: Anas smithii, Cape Shoveler
- Classification: Waterfowl
- Family: Anseriformes, Anatidae, Anatidae
Vital signs data
- Body length: 51-53 cm
- Weight: 598-688g
- Lifespan: No verification data available.
Significant features
The main body of the adult duck is dark brown, with mottled feathers edged with white.
Distribution and Habitat
It is distributed in south-central Africa, including the southern Arabian Peninsula and the entire African continent south of the Sahara Desert (Tropic of Cancer).
They typically inhabit freshwater lakeshores and also live in groups in rivers, lakes, reservoirs, bays, and shallow wetlands.
Appearance
The Brown-capped Shovel measures 51-53 cm in length, with males weighing 688g and females 598g. Adults have predominantly dark brown upper and lower bodies with mottled feathers edged in white. Males have a grey head, and the white on their cheeks and neck is more pronounced than in females. The secondary coverts are bluish-green with white borders, making them more visible in flight. Males have a larger and deeper bill than females. Males have yellow eyes, while females have dark brown eyes. Males have bright orange-yellow legs and feet, while females have olive-brown legs and feet.
Detailed introduction
The Brown-capped Shoveler (scientific name: Anas smithii) is a medium-sized waterfowl belonging to the genus Anas in the family Anatidae.
The Brown-capped Shovel is a gregarious duck, primarily active in the grassy areas of marshy regions near water. It mainly floats on the water's surface, foraging underwater for food, primarily herbivorous, but sometimes also consuming animal matter. Its toes are webbed, but it rarely dives; when swimming, its tail remains above the water. It is adept at foraging, playing, and courtship in the water. Its diet consists mainly of roots, seeds, leaves, berries, and rice from marshy and lake areas, but it also eats invertebrates and arthropods.
The breeding season for the Brown-capped Shovel peaks in summer. They build a bowl-shaped nest using plant stems, placing it above nearby water and concealing it among aquatic plants. Each nest contains 5 to 13 eggs, with incubation lasting 21 to 25 days. The chicks leave the nest at 49 days old and are usually incubated solely by the female. After hatching, the female continues to care for the chicks, who follow her as they forage.
Listed in the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Birds, 2009 ver 3.1.
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