Radjah Shelduck

Alternative name: Burdekin Duck

Radjah radjah

Photo by RMD
Location: Nhulunbuy, NT, Australia

Photo by kctsang
Location: Singapore

Identification

Both the male and female are mostly white, with dark wingtips and a distinctive "collar" of dark feathers. These birds have green bands on the tops of their wings. The female has a harsh rattle and the male has a whistle.^[2]

The Radjah Shelduck is listed as a protected bird in all states of Australia ^[2]

Distribution

New Guinea and Australia

Taxonomy

This bird was placed in the genus Tadorna, but it differs markedly in external morphology, and mtDNA cytochrome b sequence data (Sraml et al. 1996) suggests its status was reinvestigated.^[2]

There are two subspecies¹

• R. r. radjah
  • Moluccas to New Guinea
• R. r. rufitergum
  • Northern and eastern coastal Australia

Habitat

Mangrove forests and coastline

Behaviour

The Radjah Shelduck forms long-term pair-bonds, and is usually encountered in lone pairs or small flocks. During the wet season the males commonly become very irritable, and have been observed attacking their mates.^[2]

Diet: molluscs, insects, sedge materials and algae.

Nesting: Pairs start searching for nesting sites during the months of January and February. They nest close to their primary food source.^[2]

Its nesting materials is self-supplied down feathers. Egg-laying is usually done by May or June; the clutches range from 6 to 12 eggs. Incubation time is about 30 days.^[2]

References

1. Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, D. Roberson, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2017. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: v2017, with updates to August 2017. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
2. Avianweb

• List of references

Recommended Citation

• BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) Radjah Shelduck. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 15 May 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Radjah_Shelduck

External Links

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