Tag: waterfowl

pink-headed duck
Pink-headed ducks reach a length of around 60 centimeters. The males (front) have a dark pink head and neck, chocolate-brown plumage, and a crest on their heads. The females (back) and juveniles are generally somewhat paler overall. (© Henrik Grönvold (1858–1940), Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons)

Pink-headed Duck

A bird with extraordinary characteristics About half a century after the extinction of the Himalayan quail in northern India, another monotypic species vanished from the region: the Pink-headed duck, also known as the Bengali pink-headed duck. Although much has been written about this duck, many reports remain incomplete or contradictory.

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Similar to Amsterdam wigeon: Auckland duck (Anas aucklandica)
According to the ornithologists Olson and Jouventin, the extinct Amsterdam wigeon is similar to the Auckland duck (Anas aucklandica; see picture), which still exists today and is also flightless. The picture by John Gerrard Keulemans appeared in the book Buller's Birds of New Zealand (1988). (© John Gerrard Keulemans, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons)

Amsterdam wigeon

Amsterdam duck was barely larger than a thrush Both Amsterdam Island and Saint Paul are more than 3,000 kilometers away from continents. Yet, or perhaps because of this, the islands were often visited by early sailors and their accompanying animals, leading to the extinction of all endemic birds there before

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