Reserva Ecológica Costanera Sur

Sitio realizado por aficionados a la observación de aves desde 10 de enero 2006

Rosy-billed Pochard - Netta peposaca

Order: Anseriformes - Family: Anatidae
Habitat: Ponds


All records since January 2014

Adult male
Pato picazo/Rosy-billed Pochard© Amelia Besana
Black with sheen. Ashy-gray flanks. White undertail coverts. Rosy bill.

Pato picazoM/Rosy-billed PochardM© J. Simón Tagtachian
Rosy legs		 Pato picazoN/Rosy-billed PochardM© J. Simón Tagtachian
Reddish caruncle and iris
Pato picazoM/Rosy-billed PochardM© J. Simón Tagtachian
Conspicuous white wingband		 Pato picazoM/Rosy-billed PochardM© J. Simón Tagtachian
White underwing

Adult female
Pato picazo/Rosy-billed Pochard© Alec Earnshaw
Predominantly brown. Darker back. Whitish eyering and throat. Plumbeous bill

picazo JST© J. Simón Tagtachian

Pair
Pato picazo/Rosy-billed Pochard© Judith Sandberg

Group
Pato picazo/Rosy-billed Pochard© Roberto Ares

Breeding
Pato picazo/Rosy-billed Pochard © Nicolás Giorgio
This female has 14 ducklings, but there could be more. This duck species lays 16 or more eggs. Lots of pochard families were born in the reserve but we have no record of such a numerous family.
pato picazo JST 1 15Duckling
© J. Simón Tagtachian
Pato picazo/Rosy-billed Pochard© J. Simón Tagtachian

Male changing from juvenile to adult
Pato picazo/Rosy-billed Pochard© J. Simón Tagtachian
Still looking like mum. Male and female juveniles cannot be told apart		 Pato picazoM/Rosy-billed PochardM© J. Simón Tagtachian
It begins by changing the colour of the bill
Pato picazoM/Rosy-billed PochardM© Jorge García Vicente Pato picazo J/Rose-billed Pochard J© Bea Grasso
Pato picazo MJ/Rosy-billed Pochard MJ© Dolores Fernández
The eye is also turning red. Head is getting dark		 Pato picazo MJ/Rosy-billed Pochard JM© Carlos González Ledo
Pato picazo/Rosy-billed Pochard© Sergio Cusano Pato picazo/Rosy-billed Pochard© Gustavo F. Brahamian
Pato picazo/Rosy-billed Pochard© RAP Pato picazo/Rosy-billed Pochard© Nicolás Giorgio
Pato picazo/Rosy-billed Pochard© Sergio Cusano Pato picazo/Rosy-billed Pochard© Sergio Cusano

Cases of adoption

Pato picazo/Rosy-billed Pochard© José Luis Merlo
On December 18th, 2009 José discovered this Rosy-billed Pochard family with a chick of Fulvous Whistling-Duck. See more cases of adoption
Orphan ducklings
Pato picazo/Rosy-billed Pochard7 2 16 © Sergio Cusano
These six ducklings appeared without their mother. They saw a Ringed Teal family nearby and tried to join them. But the adults were reluctant to do so.
Pato de collar/Ringed Teal7 2 16 © Sergio Cusano
7 2 16 © Cora Rimoldi
We stayed a while to see if someone took care of them but nobody did. Although ducklings are not fed by their parents, they drive them to the feeding area and protect them. Small as they are they become easy preys. We were in fact very surprised when Nicolás sent us the photo of the six ducklings. He also found them alone and says they were moving very cautiously and this might alert predators...
Pato picazo/Rosy-billed Pochard11 2 16 © Nicolás Giorgio
On Saturday, 13th we looked for them unsuccesfully. Bad sign? If someone happens to see them....

More photographic records since January 2013