Common Shelduck
by
Shop
Tadorna tadorna
Common & widespread residents of 150,000 pairs breeding in Britain.
The sexes are similar, but the Female is slightly smaller, usually with some white flecks on the green face, while the Male is particularly crisply coloured in the breeding season, his bill bright red and bearing a prominent knob at the base of the bill.
The Ducklings are white, with blackish-brown cap, hindneck and wing and back patches.
Juveniles are similarly coloured, greyish above and mostly white below, but already have the adult's wing pattern.
In flight, the wing coverts are white, the primary remiges black, and the secondaries black with a strong green iridescent reflection in good light.
The call is a loud honk.