South African Shelduck

Overview

The South African shelduck, also known as the Cape shelduck, is a large goose-like bird native to southern Africa and classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. This common species belongs to the family Anatidae and is monotypic, with no recognised subspecies.

Identification

• Plumage: Ruddy body and wings marked with black, white and green; males have a grey head, while females have a white face with a black crown, nape and neck sides.
• Size: Approximately 64 cm (25 in) long.
• Call: Males emit a deep honk or hoogh, whereas females produce a louder, sharper hark.
• Similarities: Can be difficult to distinguish from Egyptian geese in flight.

Habitat

This species is mainly associated with lakes and rivers in fairly open country. It breeds primarily in Namibia and South Africa, often using disused mammal holes, particularly those of the aardvark. Outside the breeding season, pairs are very nomadic, and many birds move north-east during the austral winter to favoured moulting grounds.

Did you know?

The bird breeds in disused holes of other mammals, usually aardvarks. In captivity, it frequently produces hybrids with other orange-plumaged shelducks, which can be problematic to identify.