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Anas Platyrhynchos


Anas Platyrhynchos
Photo Information
Copyright: Philip Erche (netfalls) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1752 W: 153 N: 2457] (9276)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2006-01-24
Categories: Birds
Camera: Canon 350D, Canon EF 70-200mm f4 L USM, Digital RAW 400
Exposure: f/10.0, 1/800 seconds
Details: (Fill) Flash: Yes
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2006-01-24 8:23
Viewed: 1613
Points: 30
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Anas Platyrhynchos

Geographic Range:
Mallards can be found almost anywhere in the world. They dominate the Northern Hemisphere, and can be found easly in Oceana, Asia, Africa, South America and many islands
Habitat:
Most often, they prefer wetlands, where highly productive waters produce large amounts of floating, emergent and submerged vegetation Wetlands also produce a great deal of aquatic invertebrates on which mallards feed.

Physical Description:
The mallard is undoubtably the most recognized waterfowl in the world. The familiar duck morphology is complemented with a iridesent blue speculum on the wings in both sexes. On the male, the notable characteristics are the green iridesent plumage on the head and neck, and curled black feathers on the tail. The female's plumage is drab brown.

Reproduction:
Most mallard hens breed as yearlings, but they may not have much success; studies show that older hens have much lower duckling mortality than yearlings. Pair bonding starts as early as October and continues through March. Mallard males leave the hen soon after mating occurs. The hen usually lays 9 -13 eggs in a nest on the ground near a body of water. When the ducklings hatch after 26-28 days, the hen leads them to water and does not return to the nest.


Behavior:
After the breeding season, mallards form flocks and migrate from northern lattitudes to warmer southern areas. There they wait and feed until the breeding season starts again. Some mallards, however, may choose to stay through the winter in areas where food and shelter are abundant; these mallards make up a resident populations.

The familiar "quack" of ducks is from the female mallard--it is named the "decrescendo call", and can be heard for miles. A female will give the call when she wants to bring other ducks to her, such as her ducklings, and as a result it is also known as the "hail call".

Food Habits:
Mallards consume a wide variety of foods, including vegetation, insects, worms, gastropods and arthropods, although they are not restricted to these. They also take advantage of human food sources, such as gleaning grain from crops.

Conservation Status:
Mallards are the most abundant and widespread of all waterfowl; every year millions are harvested by hunters with little effect on their numbers.
Infos from Wikipedia
Jannie, dew77, soccer, marhowie, wallhalla15, hummingbird24, fiyo, Xalkida, marjan has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

excellent action shot. Very good colours and detail. Thes POV and and background is great.

Well done

  • Great 
  • dew77 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 5171 W: 297 N: 4050] (13069)
  • [2006-01-24 8:37]

Hello Philip!
Excellent action shot.POV,moment you caught,
solid body,motion effect on wings are wonderful.TFS...:-)

wonderfull shot... great photo... very nice..well done:) I salute

Awesome use of the light. Great subject. Excellent POV, Comp and sharpness lending top a lot of detail. TFS, Sheriff

Hi Philip,
it's excellent, sharpness, colours light and moment, everything perfect, thanks
Sabine - wishnugaruda

  • Great 
  • tinman Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 242 W: 7 N: 458] (2663)
  • [2006-01-24 10:13]

Super colour and lighting, well captured. TFS

Philip, this is an excellent picture. Great colours, excellent sharpness and POV. A very nice composition. Well done. Thanks for posting.

Hi Philip
Great shot.
Excellent composition Good color and definition. Excellent POV.
Thank you and Regards
Love the frame
JC

  • Great 
  • chiliu Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1552 W: 0 N: 1165] (6442)
  • [2006-01-24 14:47]

Hi Philip,
Superb capture of inflight with excellent timing,
nice warm lighting and very sharp detail.
Thanks for sharing!

I especially like the warm light that is cast on your subject in this great inflight shot, Philip.

Details, colors, POV and exposure are great and you have composed this shot well.

Nicely done and thank you!

  • Great 
  • manyee Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3069 W: 231 N: 5859] (19702)
  • [2006-01-25 1:47]

Wow, Philip. What a superb capture.
The light on it is gorgeous, and the pose is just fantastic.
Congratulations and TFS. : )

  • Great 
  • fiyo Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 924 W: 5 N: 2259] (8370)
  • [2006-01-25 5:28]

Hello Philip,
Very nice capture with perfect POV,sharpness, colors, light, composition, everything is excellent ! TFS

Hi Philip

Wonderful shot, just in time. Great capture in motion for this impressive bird. Excellent colors and lighting. Well done!

  • Great 
  • marjan Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 482 W: 10 N: 362] (2631)
  • [2006-08-24 15:00]

Hi Philip, nice moment for good shot. good useful information. TFS
Majran

Hi Philip,
Lovely capture with warm afternoon tones. You've stopped the action perfectly with the haed pin sharp and the wings giving a dynamic sense of motion to the image.
Cheers
Paul

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