Basic Information
Scientific classification
- Chinese name: North American Spotted Duck
- Scientific name: Anas fulvigula, Mottled Duck
- Classification: Waterfowl
- Family: Anseriformes, Anatidae, Anatidae
Vital signs data
- Body length: Approximately 55 cm
- Weight: No verification information available.
- Lifespan: No verification data available.
Significant features
The wings have shimmering green-blue mirrors.
Distribution and Habitat
The North American Spotted Duck is distributed throughout North America, including the United States, Canada, Greenland, Bermuda, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, and the transitional zone between North and Central America within Mexico.
The North American Spotted Duck typically inhabits freshwater lakes, but also lives in groups in rivers, lakes, reservoirs, bays, and coastal salt flats.
Appearance
The North American Spotted Duck measures 55 cm. It has a brownish-black body, a bright head and neck, black eye stripes and black eyes, orange legs, and a bright green-blue speculum on its wings. Males and females are similar, but the male's bill is bright yellow, while the female's bill has a yellowish-green hue.
Detailed introduction
The Mottled Duck (scientific name: Anas fulvigula) is a medium-sized waterfowl belonging to the genus Anas in the family Anatidae.
The North American Spotted Duck prefers to live in flocks during winter, mostly in the grassy areas of marshes near water. It mainly floats on the water's surface, foraging underwater, primarily feeding on plants, but sometimes also consuming animal matter. Its toes are webbed, but it rarely dives; its tail remains above water when swimming. It is adept at foraging, playing, and courtship in the water. It is a clean animal, frequently preening its feathers both in the water and on land. When sleeping or resting, they look after each other; males often remain alert, while females sleep. They typically rest longer at midday than in the morning or evening. Before spring arrives, they are relatively lethargic and sleepy, becoming more active as time progresses, swimming, walking, or flying. Their diet mainly consists of roots, seeds, leaves, berries, and rice from marshes and lakes, but they also eat invertebrates and arthropods.
The breeding season for the North American Spotted Duck is from April to June. They build a bowl-shaped nest using plant stems, placing it above nearby water and concealing it among aquatic plants. Each nest contains 4 to 12 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.
The North American Spotted Duck lives in coastal salt flats and is therefore vulnerable to oil pollution.
Listed as Least Concern (LC) in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016 ver 3.1.
Protect wild animals and ban the consumption of wild game.
Maintaining ecological balance is everyone's responsibility!
