Masked Duck
A species of Masked Duck Scientific name : Nomonyx dominicus Genus : Masked Duck
Masked Duck, A species of Masked Duck
Botanical name: Nomonyx dominicus
Genus: Masked Duck
Content
Description General Info
Photo By Ron Knight from Seaford, East Sussex, United Kingdom , used under CC-BY-2.0 /Cropped and compressed from original 
Description
The masked duck (Nomonyx dominicus) is a tiny stiff-tailed duck ranging through the tropical Americas. They are found from Mexico to South America and also in the Caribbean. Primarily not migratory, masked ducks are reported as very uncommon vagrants in the southernmost United States, along the Mexican border and in Florida. As of 2000, the conservation status for masked ducks in Texas is 3,800 birds. On April 1, 1962, it was recorded from Lowndes County, Georgia, where it was photographed by Alexander Wetmore. The only member of the genus Nomonyx, it is intermediate between the rather primitive black-headed duck (Heteronetta) and the very apomorphic true stiff-tailed ducks. It is sometimes included with the latter in the genus Oxyura, but apparently the masked ducks now are the descendants of a missing link in the Oxyurini evolution, having changed but little for millions of years. Breeding adult males have a rust-colored body with a black face and mottled wings. Adult females, winter males, and juveniles have a barred brownish gray body, with two horizontal, dark-colored stripes running through the buff-colored face. These ducks mainly feed on seeds, roots, and leaves of aquatic plants. They also eat aquatic insects and crustaceans. They feed by diving. Masked ducks breed in any freshwater body with marsh vegetation and surrounded by heavy tree cover. They also occur in mangrove swamps. These ducks are usually very secretive, but they are not rare and not considered threatened by the IUCN. 
Size
33 cm (13 in)
Feeding Habits
Masked Duck primarily forages for plant material, such as seeds and leaves. It dives to feed, showing a unique adaptation for underwater foraging, and may occasionally consume small aquatic animals.
Habitat
Masked Duck primarily inhabits freshwater wetlands, such as marshes, ponds, and swamps, with a marked preference for areas abundant in emergent vegetation like reeds and rushes. These birds favor environments that feature floating vegetation and are often found in freshwater systems overgrown with plants such as cattails and smartweeds. Their habitat range includes broad geographical regions with tropical and subtropical climates, including mangroves, rice fields, and temporary water bodies in grasslands. Masked Duck is adaptable to man-made wetlands like stock ponds and can use smaller bodies of water due to their capability of vertical take-off. They are equally likely to occupy open water and areas with dense emergent plants, often utilizing vegetation like lotus and lily pads for cover.
Nest Behavior
Masked Duck's breeding behavior involves the male displaying by raising its tail and lowering its bill onto its chest while uttering soft calls. Mating occurs primarily in the fall, with nesting in following suit, exclusively undertaken by the female.
Nest Characteristics
Masked Duck's nest is a woven bowl constructed by the female, composed of reeds and grasses, often with a sparse lining of down. It is located among marsh vegetation in shallow water.
Dite type
Omnivorous
General Info
Species Status
Not globally threatened.
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