Duck loaf: description of the breed and photo

Duck loaf is one of the most colorful representatives of the duck family due to the characteristic contrasting coloring of the plumage. This unique bird has some peculiarities peculiar to geese and swans. At the first, she "adopted" the manner of behavior on earth and in the air: the duckweed is a duck that moves easily, quickly and overland, but flies in flight, flies slowly and seldom flaps its wings like geese. With swans, it combines monogamy in marital relations: males and females create strong alliances for life.

Description of a duck loaf

This is a fairly large waterfowl with a characteristic bright plumage. In length, female individuals reach 58 cm, male - 65 cm, and the range of their wings varies from 110 to 130 cm. This species differs from its relatives in elongated neck and high legs. Weight of males is 0,9-1,65 kg, females - 0,6-1,3 kg.

As you can see in the photo, the duck loaf is different from other duck variegated colors, including several bright colors. The overall white feathering background clearly contrasts with the bright black with a green tint of the color of the head, neck, ends of the wings and the middle part of the belly and back. Picturesque appearance of this bird is given to the red-chestnut bandage, covering the chest, shoulder blades and part of the back, as well as the red podhvoste, pink legs and red beak.

The characteristic features of the males are bright green mirrors on the wings and a pineal outgrowth of the same color as the beak that adorns the supraclue. In females, the feathers around the eyes are white.

Habitat

In the Red Book, the duckweed has been introduced for a long time, as its population is steadily declining. Depending on the habitat, these birds are divided into two subgroups. One of them inhabits saline and brackish water sources of arid regions of Central Asia, the second - the sea coasts of Europe. In Russia, this species can be found in the steppe and forest-steppe southern zone, as well as on the White Sea islands.

On the nesting places these birds arrive in the early spring. For the arrangement of future nests, they choose water springs with brackish or salt water, located near the stone talus or sand dunes.

Reproduction

Sexual maturity of male duckling ducks occurs at the age of 4-5 years, while in females the ability to lay eggs comes twice as early. The mating season in these birds begins after arriving at the nesting sites, and the offspring appears only by the summer. For a potential "bride" can simultaneously "care" up to 9 "suitors". During the ritual the males make high squeaky sounds, draw their necks, nod their heads and bow. Marriage dances alternate with fights between competitors. The female gets the most powerful and militant male, who defeated the other contenders in fights.

Having formed a couple, birds are sent to find a nesting site, which can be at a sufficiently remote distance from the shore. As nests of Pieboks, old hollows in trees or free burrows of different animals are used most often: badgers, marmots, foxes, corsacs, but they can also dig deep underground dwellings themselves. Sometimes couples equip open nests in bushy vegetation.

The female lays the bottom of the burrow with down and dry grass, and then lays eggs. On average, the masonry consists of 8-12 eggs, but sometimes the number can reach up to 18 pieces. Periodically excommunicating from the nest, the duck covers the eggs with down. During the last two days before the appearance of chicks, the hen from the dwelling does not come out. The incubation period lasts an average of 30 days, and all this time the drakes live near the nest, guarding their "spouse" and future offspring from predators.

Development of chicks

Ducklings are born in a downy "fur coat" and are already fully developed. They almost immediately leave the nest and run well. At the same time, if their house is high, the chicks fearlessly jump to the ground. For feeding parents lead their offspring to the shore of the reservoir. Many babies have to overcome the impressive distance from the nest to the shore.

During the journey to the pond, the duck walks ahead of the chicks, and the drake - on the side or closes the column, guarding its family.

Sometimes on the beach, the offspring of several couples are united in flocks, creating a kind of "kindergartens", protected by father parents, between which conflicts periodically break out due to their zealous attitude towards their duties as defenders. In some cases, the winner expels several defeated males from the feeding area, attaching their broods to their chicks.

Up to six months of age, the young live next to their native nest under the protection of their parents, although the drake abandons his father's duties before the duck. At 7-8 weeks after birth ducklings leave the dwelling and begin an independent existence.

Diet of phegoons

The rhythm of life and the "menu" of duck loaf is determined by the peculiarities of the habitat. This bird swims well, keeping the trunk high on the water. As for diving, this type of duck does not practice such a method for the production of feed.

The diet of piebald women consists mainly of seafood. During the tides, ducks rest on the shore or in the water, and after low tide they go to shallow water, hunting for shellfish and shellfish. In addition, birds feed on algae, earthworms, caviar and fish fry, water insects and other living creatures.

In addition to marine life, sheep eat also a variety of insects living on land, as well as vegetative shoots and seeds of some plants. The freshwater "menu" does not like these birds, so they practically do not nest near fresh sources.

For example, on the North Atlantic coast, the diet of piebald women is 90% composed of small littoral snails Hydrobia ulvae, near the shores of the Azov and Black Seas, as well as Asian ponds, these ducks feed on shrimps artemia and larvae of mosquitoes-tolkuntsi.

Change of plumage

The moulting process in male peganoks begins faster than in females. As it was said above, drakes leave their offspring earlier than their "spouses", because they have a period of change of plumage, during which they are unable to fly. Males gather in huge schools on the coasts of reservoirs. After the young grows on the wing, moult begins in the females, which immediately join the male society.

When the process of changing feathers ends, adult birds still continue to live in packs that are replenished by young animals. The colonial way of life of the Pieboks leads to the very flight.

Enemies enemies

In the wild nature, the enemies of these birds are foxes, mink, jackals, wild cats, otters, hawks, moons and kites. These predators are dangerous not only for young animals, but also for adult birds. But the crows and seagulls are not averse to eating eggs and small chicks.

The commercial value of Pergamum

Being unusually beautiful birds, peanuts have always been an object of hunting, although they did not belong to the mass species of game. To date, fishing for this bird is strictly forbidden, as some of its species are on the verge of extinction. Ordinary Perganka is able to breed in captivity, so it is grown as a decorative bird for decorating park water.

In some European countries, there is a practice of collecting fluff from duck nests, since by its quality it is not inferior to the eiderdown. As for the nutritional value of the meat of wild sheep, it is practically inedible in the summer, because it has a rather unpleasant smell. With the onset of cold weather, its quality is getting better, but in Europe it is still considered unsuitable for eating.

Farmers breeding this bird in captivity, if they slaughter it for food, then only in winter. At the same time before preparing a duck loaf, it is gutted and left in the cold for a couple of days, so that the meat "ripens" and reduced its unpleasant odor.

Heat treatment of this kind of duck is carried out by the methods used for other game, that is, by frying, boiling, quenching or baking. Thus, how to cook a duck loaf, everyone decides for himself, based on his personal taste preferences. But, regardless of the chosen recipe, it should be remembered that her meat is not "friendly" with most spices, except for black pepper and salt, so experiment with different seasonings is not necessary.