Carolina duck

Description

They are small with a marked sexual dimorphism: the male has very colourful plumage unlike the female’s which is brown. During breeding season, the male’s head turns a copper green colour, with very distinctive white stripes, and the eyes and beak are red. The female has a short crest and the plumage is a dull grey brown colour, with a large white strip at the back of the eyes that looks like a tear. 

Behaviour

They are monogamous. The female lays 5-15 eggs that are cream coloured in nests that other birds have abandoned in the trees, especially when the nests are very close to each other. The female incubates them alone for 25-37 days. The chicks can leave the nest on the first day: to do so, they need to jump from high altitudes from the nest situated in the upper parts of the trees. 

Interesting facts

They were overhunted for their meat and plumage in the early 20th century, but conservation measures were put in place and the population levels recovered. Today, it is one of the most common ducks in the United States. Currently, its greatest threat comes from the loss of habitat or habitat degradation, due to the drainage of marshlands and other human activities that alter or destroy wetlands.