Table Of Contents
- Description
- Biology
- Ecology and Distribution
- Distribution
- Habitat
- Conservation
- Trends and Threats
- Biodiversity Heritage Library
- References and More Information
- Specialist Projects
- Common Names
Description
Tufted ducks are, indeed, tufted, although the drake has a more prominent crest than the female (duck). The specific scientific name, fuligula may derive from the Latin word fuligo meaning soot, and drakes have glossy black plumage on their head, breast and back. In contrast, the side and belly have a conspicuous white band but despite this distinctive uniform, tufted ducks can be mistaken for other species such as scaup Aythya marila and the vagrant ring-necked duck Aythya collaris from North America. Like the tufted duck, these birds also have a grey bill with a black tip. To add to the confusion, tufted ducks are known to hybridise with both these species, leading to offspring that can resemble both parents at a distance. Female tufted ducks are much less showy than the males, being dark brown with slightly paler sides. They also have a black tip to the bill and this distinguishes them from juvenile birds, also dull brown with paler sides but lacking that bill tip mark.
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Xysticus pretiosus Gertsch, 1934 |
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Lycothrissa crocodilus (Bleeker, 1851)
Sabretoothed thryssa |
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Petrocephalus catostoma subsp. catostoma (Günther, 1866)
Churchill |
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Pseudanthias pictilis (Randall & Allen, 1978)
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Plectroglyphidodon phoenixensis (Schultz, 1943)
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