Get to know some feathered friends
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Ducks, geese and swans belong to the family Anatidae, and an average of 70,000 birds from this family fly to Shanghai to overwinter, according to synchronized aquatic bird survey statistics issued by Shanghai Wildlife Conservation Association in recent years.
A total of 33 species from this family have been documented in Shanghai in the past decade, with the spot-billed duck, common teal and mallard ranking the top three in population.
Usually arriving in October and leaving in March, the birds have their own preferred habitats, concentrated in Chongming Island, Nanhui Dongtan and the coastal area.
Tundra Swan
The tundra swan is about 120 to 150 centimeters in length and weighs between 3.4 to 7.8 kilograms.
The adult swans have white plumage and black feet, while the immature birds are light-gray feathered until their second winter. The bill is mostly black, but has yellow spots at the base.
The sound whistling swans make is similar to whooper swans but in higher pitches. A flock singing together produces sound like “klah.”
A migratory species that breeds in the Arctic and subarctic tundra, it travels to wintering habitat near the coast. The tundra swan is not globally threatened, but the population in Shanghai suffered a significant decline in the last century.
Mallard
The mallard is the ancestor of nearly all domestic duck breeds and is widespread around the world.
The female mallard makes a quacking sound, while the males have a quieter, rasping sound. Like all ducks, they shed their flight feathers at the end of the breeding season and are flightless for three to four weeks.
The average length for both sexes is 50 to 65 centimeters, and they weigh 0.75 to 1.5 kilograms.
The mallard’s diet is omnivorous and opportunistic. They eat seeds, aquatic and terrestrial plants, as well as invertebrates such as insects and crustaceans.
Spot-billed duck
As one of the most common duck species found in China, the spot-billed duck is found in fresh water and feeds mostly on plants.
A large, stocky dabbling duck, the bird got the name for its yellow-colored bill tip.
Usually 58-63 centimeters in length and weighs 0.75 to 1.5 kilograms, the adult’s plumage is dark and brown, and the legs and feet are bright orange.
The drake and hen look similar, although the female’s plumage is lighter.
According to “Birds of East Asia” by Mark Brazil, the spot-billed duck’s call is similar to a mallard, but stronger.
Common teal
Also called the Eurasian teal, it’s a small migratory dabbling duck with an average length of 20 to 30 centimeters and weighs around 350 grams.
Their legs are short but strong, and the drake’s bill is darker than that of the hen and juveniles.
The male common teal is slightly larger than the female, and the breeding plumage color also differs. The drake’s head and upper neck is chestnut, with a dark green area surrounding the eyes, and he has wide white wing stripes. The hen’s is brownish with a darker back and wings. Outside of the breeding season, the sexes look alike.
It’s a species of northern Europe and Asia, usually fly in large flocks, and nest on the ground. Their diet includes molluscs, worms and insects, as well as seeds of aquatic plants, grasses and grain.
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