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American Black Duck

A species of Anas, Also known as Dusky Duck
Scientific name : Anas rubripes Genus : Anas

American Black Duck, A species of Anas
Also known as:
Dusky Duck
Botanical name: Anas rubripes
Genus: Anas
American Black Duck (Anas rubripes) Photo By Caleb Putnam , used under CC-BY-SA-2.0 /Cropped and compressed from original

Description

The American black duck weighs 720–1,640 g (1.59–3.62 lb) and measures 54–59 cm (21–23 in) in length with a 88–95 cm (35–37 in) wingspan. This species has the highest mean body mass in the genus Anas, with a sample of 376 males averaging 1.4 kg (3.1 lb) and 176 females averaging 1.1 kg (2.4 lb). The American black duck somewhat resembles the female mallard in coloration, although the black duck's plumage is darker. Males and females are generally similar in appearance, but the male's bill is yellow while the female's is dull green with dark marks on the upper mandible, which is occasionally flecked with black. The head is brown, but is slightly lighter in tone than the darker brown body. The cheeks and throat are streaked brown, with a dark streak going through the crown and dark eye. The speculum feathers are iridescent violet-blue with predominantly black margins. The fleshy orange feet of the duck have dark webbing. Both male and female American black ducks produce similar calls to their close relative, the mallard, with the female producing a loud sequence of quacks which falls in pitch. In flight, the white lining of the underwings can be seen in contrast to the blackish underbody and upperside. The purple speculum lacks white bands at the front and rear, and rarely has a white trailing edge. A dark crescent is visible on the median underwing primary coverts. Juveniles resemble adult females, but have broken narrow pale edges of underpart feathers, which give a slightly streaked rather than scalloped appearance, and the overall appearance is browner rather than uniformly blackish. Juvenile males have brownish-orange feet while juvenile females have brownish feet and a dusky greyish-green bill.
Size
48-58 cm (19-23 in)
Colors
Black
Gray
Life Expectancy
26 years
Nest Placement
Ground
Clutch Size
6 - 14 eggs
Incubation Period
1 brood
Number of Broods
23 - 33 days
Feeding Habits
American Black Duck primarily consumes plant matter, supplementing with animal food, particularly during breeding. They eat seeds, roots, stems, and leaves from moist or underwater plants, and feed on invertebrates, mollusks, and fish. They forage individually or in groups, dabbling in shallow water or diving in deeper water. Seasonally, the diet shifts, with a higher proportion of animal food consumed in winter. Ducklings initially feed on water invertebrates, transitioning to plant-based food later.
Habitat
American Black Duck thrives in low-altitude wetlands, from freshwater marshes, estuaries, and beaver ponds to vegetated shallow lakes and river edges. Their preferred habitats also encompass bogs in boreal or mixed forests and forested swamps. In winter, they frequent brackish marshes, flooded timberlands, agricultural areas, and riverine environments, often seeking refuge in protected waters to escape hunting.
Nest Behavior
American Black Duck's female alone constructs the nest and lays eggs. She gradually lines the nest with down during egg-laying. Incubation begins after the clutch is complete, ensuring warmth and protection for the eggs.
Nest Characteristics
American Black Duck typically selects secluded ground sites in varied environments including wooded islands, grasslands, and croplands. Its nest is a shallow basin, approximately 7–8 inches wide, lined with grass, twigs, leaves, and down feathers.
Dite type
Insectivorous

General Info

Feeding Habits

Bird food type

Behavior

American Black Duck are distinguished by their slow yet powerful flight and exceptional swimming abilities, adeptly diving to elude predators or in search of sustenance. These birds exhibit seasonal monogamy, forming enduring pair bonds during the fall and winter before venturing to breeding territories. Pairing and territorial defense are key aspects of their conduct, with territorial males actively engaging in bouts of threat displays and combat to deter interlopers. Nesting habits are adaptable to their range, with initiation spanning from February in the southern parts to late May further north. Remarkably, males guard the nest diligently until partway through incubation, after which they tend to abandon the brood. After hatching in synchrony, ducklings are promptly escorted by the female to rich feeding grounds plentiful in invertebrates and shelter. Post-molt, come early September, all ages coalesce and commence their southward migration from breeding grounds.

Distribution Area

The American black duck is endemic to eastern North America. In Canada, the range extends from northeastern Saskatchewan to Newfoundland and Labrador. In the United States, it is found in northern Illinois, Michigan, New Jersey, Ohio, Connecticut, Vermont, South Dakota, central West Virginia, Maine and on the Atlantic coast to North Carolina. The American black duck is a habitat generalist as it is associated with tidal marshes and present throughout the year in salt marshes from the Gulf of Maine to coastal Virginia. It usually prefers freshwater and coastal wetlands throughout northeastern America, including brackish marshes, estuaries and edges of backwater ponds and rivers lined by speckled alder. It also inhabits beaver ponds, shallow lakes with sedges and reeds, bogs in open boreal and mixed hardwood forests, as well as forested swamps. Populations in Vermont have also been found in glacial kettle ponds surrounded by bog mats. During winter, the American black duck mostly inhabits brackish marshes bordering bays, agricultural marshes, flooded timber, agricultural fields, estuaries and riverine areas. Ducks usually take shelter from hunting and other disturbances by moving to brackish and fresh impoundments on conservation land.

Species Status

Since 1988, the American black duck has been rated as least concern on the IUCN Red List of Endangered Species. This is because the range of this species is extremely large, which is not near the threshold of vulnerable species. In addition, the total population is large, and, although it is declining, it is not declining fast enough to make the species vulnerable. It has long been valued as a game bird, being extremely wary and fast flying. Habitat loss due to drainage, filling of wetlands due to urbanization, global warming and rising sea levels are major reasons for the declining population. Some conservationists consider hybridization and competition with the mallard as an additional source of concern should this decline continue. Hybridization itself is not a major problem; natural selection makes sure that the best-adapted individuals have the most offspring. However, the reduced viability of female hybrids causes some broods to fail in the long run due to the death of the offspring before reproducing themselves. While this is not a problem in the plentiful mallard, it might place an additional strain on the American black duck's population. Recent research conducted for the Delta Waterfowl Foundation suggests that hybrids are a result of forced copulations and not a normal pairing choice by black hens. The United States Fish and Wildlife Service has continued to purchase and manage habitat in many areas to support the migratory stopover, wintering and breeding populations of the American black duck. In addition, the Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge has purchased and restored over 1,000 acres of wetlands to provide stopover habitat for over 10,000 American black ducks during fall migration. Also, the Atlantic Coast Joint Venture has been protecting the habitat of the American black duck through habitat restoration and land acquisition projects, mostly within their wintering and breeding areas. In 2003, a Boreal Forest Conservation Framework was adopted by conservation organizations, industries and First Nations to protect the Canadian boreal forests, including the American black duck's eastern Canadian breeding range.
American Black Duck (Anas rubripes) American Black Duck (Anas rubripes) Photo By Caleb Putnam , used under CC-BY-SA-2.0 /Cropped and compressed from original

Scientific Classification

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