birds

Rosybill Pochards

Rosybill Pochards (Netta peposaca)

The Rosybill or Rosybill Pochards (Netta peposaca) is a duck with a distinctive red bill on males and a slate-colored bill on females. Though classified as a diving duck, this pochard feeds more like a dabbling duck.

The species name peposaca is derived from a Guaraní word for “showy wings”, referring to the broad white stripe that is only visible with stretched-out wings.

Rosybill Pochards on the Water
Rosybill Pochards on the Water

 

Distribution / Range

The Rosybill is endemic to South America. It is found in Argentina, central Chile, Paraguay, Uruguay and southern Brazil.

The population in southern Argentina migrates northward during the austral winter, reaching Brazil and southern Bolivia.

It is a vagrant to the Falkland Islands.

 


Rosybill Pochards on the Ground
Rosybill Pochard on the Ground

Diet / Feeding:

Ducks generally feed on larvae and pupae usually found under rocks, aquatic animals, plant material, seeds, small fish, snails and crabs.

Feeding Ducks …

We all enjoy ducks and many of us offer them food to encourage them to come over and stay around – and it works! Who doesn’t like an easy meal!

However, the foods that we traditionally feed them at local ponds are utterly unsuitable for them and are likely to cause health problems down the road. Also, there may be local laws against feeding this species of bird – so it’s best to check on that rather than facing consequences at a later stage.

Please note that feeding ducks and geese makes them dependent on humans for food, which can result in starvation and possibly death when those feedings stop. If you decide to feed them, please limit the quantity to make sure that they maintain their natural ability to forage for food themselves – providing, of course, that natural food sources are available.

 

Copyright: Wikipedia. This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from Wikipedia.org. … Additional information and photos added by Avianweb.

 

Please Note: The articles or images on this page are the sole property of the authors or photographers. Please contact them directly with respect to any copyright or licensing questions. Thank you.

Gordon Ramel

Gordon is an ecologist with two degrees from Exeter University. He's also a teacher, a poet and the owner of 1,152 books. Oh - and he wrote this website.

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