Hartlaub's Duck

The Hartlaub's duck, a denizen of African forests, is cloaked in a rich chestnut hue. Once grouped with the paraphyletic "perching ducks," it has since been reclassified with the dabbling ducks. Yet, it stands apart from its dabbling kin, earning its place in the monotypic genus Pteronetta, a testament to its unique nature.

Identification Tips

Adult Hartlaub's ducks are distinguished by their size, measuring 56-58 centimeters in height. Males tip the scales between 925 and 1140 grams and sport a white head with reddish-brown eyes, while females, with dark red eyes and a more modest weight of 770 to 805 grams, display less white on their heads. Both sexes boast a distinctive blue wing patch. During the breeding season, the male's bill base swells noticeably.

Habitat

These ducks favor the swampy marshes, dense tropical forests, savanna regions, and the flowing rivers and streams of their habitat. In Liberia, they are known to inhabit mangrove forests.

Distribution

Hartlaub's duck is a resident bird across equatorial West and Central Africa, with its range stretching from Guinea and Sierra Leone in the west, through Nigeria, to South Sudan in the east, and down to Gabon, Congo, and Zaire in the south.

Behaviour

Hartlaub's ducks vocalize a "ko-ko-ko-ko" or "kakakakarr" in flight, while their conversational tones are a soft "whit-whit-whit." Males emit a rapid "wheezy whistle" when threatened, and juveniles in distress call out with three quick, evenly spaced descending notes.

Diet and Feeding

Their diet is rich in aquatic invertebrates, including insects and crustaceans. Remarkably, they have been observed feeding on insects found in elephant dung within the Nouabalé-Ndoki National Park in the Republic of Congo. They also consume seeds and insect larvae and engage in the unusual behavior of perching on bongo and forest buffalo to rid themselves of ectoparasites. These ducks are most active during the early morning and evening hours.

Breeding

Hartlaub's ducks mate in the rainy season, from June to September. The females lay cream-colored eggs, and upon hatching, the chicks present sooty-black heads, yellowish bodies, and an orange hue on the chin, neck, and face, weighing between 35-46 grams.

Conservation status

With an estimated global population between 26,000 and 110,000 individuals, Hartlaub's duck is currently classified as "Least Concern" by the IUCN. Although the population is in decline, it does not meet the criteria for vulnerability due to its wide range and stable numbers. The species faces threats from forest destruction, hunting, and water pollution from mining and poison-fishing, and in Nigeria, it is hunted and traded for medicinal purposes.