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Ruddy Duck (one for the ladies)


Ruddy Duck (one for the ladies)
Photo Information
Copyright: Paul Prince (PDP) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2964 W: 366 N: 3848] (11755)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2005-01-23
Categories: Birds
Camera: Canon EOS 20D, Tamron 28-300 XR, Digital ISO 200, Hoya skylight (1B)
Exposure: f/6.3, 1/250 seconds
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version, Workshop
Theme(s): Aquatic Birds 2 - Aves Acuáticas 2, Ducks [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2005-02-16 18:35
Viewed: 1419
Points: 32
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
In September 2001, the scientific journal Nature published a picture of a small duck with a penis longer than its body. What the Argentinian lake duck (aka Agentinian Ruddy Duck), Oxyura vittata uses this extraordinary appendage for is a mystery, but we can make some informed guesses.

In almost every instance of extreme genitalia, in males and females, the explanation lies in sexual conflict. In most animals, females typically mate with several males during each sexual cycle. Species where females do this are said to be 'polyandrous', and the consequence of multiple sexual partners is sperm competition - the competition between the sperm of the different partners to fertilise the female's eggs. It may benefit a female to be polyandrous, but it doesn't pay males to allow their partner to be fertilised by someone else's sperm - hence the conflict.

This is a duck I saw at the Wetland and Wildfowl centre in London. It's a pretty good looking duck and maybe he is a hit with the ladies. I got these notes from here. I hope you like it.
Lesley, Luc, marhowie, ellis49, willie, Callie, netfalls, Fisher, Kirsten, gerhardt, Signal-Womb, janhendrik has marked this note useful
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Discussions
ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To gerhardt: Hee heePDP 2 02-17 14:59
To Callie: Interesting.PDP 4 02-17 13:56
To marhowie: Manual Howard , manual ;-)ellis49 1 02-17 00:06
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Critiques [Translate]

  • Great 
  • Lesley Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 297 W: 13 N: 913] (2988)
  • [2005-02-16 19:43]

Very nice capture and very interesting note. You caught this pretty duck in just the right light, paul.

  • Great 
  • Luc Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2058 W: 315 N: 4404] (14713)
  • [2005-02-16 20:33]

Paul, the visual quality of your image is excellent. I cannot regrettably obtain such results with my small camera.
Good PoV and composition. The reflection in the water is made a success well. We can even see there details under the beak, matter rarely shown on TN.
Interesting note too.
Thanks

  • Great 
  • jossim Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1676 W: 5 N: 2144] (11878)
  • [2005-02-16 22:02]

Superbe prise de vue, avec un excellent éclairage. Les couleurs et la netteté sont parfaites et ce canard est magnifique. Félicitations !

Paul, Very nice color & details seen in you bird. Great POV...I have to tell you though, I found the note on this one more interesting than the photo!! ;-)) Well done! Hey, I got the camera this afternoon..Went out & took some test shots. I'm ready to see my 1st images..I load the software & drivers, hook up the cam. Program says there are no images to download. Apparently the "shoot w/o card" was "ON" in the menu settings! POOP! Haste makes waste as they say! Ah well, there's always tommorrow..

Exquisite shot Paul. Nice reflection and lovely pose. Good work on this no nits shot.

  • Great 
  • red45 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2828 W: 75 N: 8009] (26813)
  • [2005-02-17 4:08]

Great di... I mean duck, Paul ;-) I love its colours. Very detailed, with superb light. Excellent note also!

Very good shot, great colours and sharpness.
Well done.
TFS.

  • Great 
  • sAner Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1654 W: 79 N: 1456] (4742)
  • [2005-02-17 6:40]

Good capture. I like the light the eyes. Nice details, good POV & DOF. Well done!

Great shot Paul.
The light is very nice.
Very good details, POV, composition and colours.
Great and informative note.
Excellent work.

Points later, out of dimes.

Hi Paul
No nits here, a beautiful picture, also the nice reflection - and this is a male Maccoa Duck Oxyura maccoa - 48-51 cm. The tail dragging on the water surface is typical of this duck, asis the pointed cocked tail on the other hand. A localised resident in SA.
I posted a WS of one of mine, if you do not mind

  • Great 
  • Fisher Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1540 W: 309 N: 2234] (8915)
  • [2005-02-17 13:03]

Ecelent capture, Paul. Well done on the exposure and details. Funny, but interesting note.

Mike

Nice shot, Paul. I tend to go with Callie on this one. It's a cracking shot, though. Some favourable light. Well done.

I posted a photo to help with the ID and mailed you a sound snippet to compare the sounds when you go there again.

Hey Paul, nice shot!nice little duck, excelent lightning and details.compo and reflection is good too.i like the colours and an interesting note!

Interesting note there Paul you you seem to be very knowledgeable in such matters. Nice capture on the bird I like the composition, details and colours...very nice.

  • Great 
  • livios Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2306 W: 324 N: 4306] (16856)
  • [2005-02-18 6:47]

Paul, just another masterpiece of yours. Very beautiful shot. Perfect sharpness, pleasant shades, nice pose, great reflex on the water.

Everything's perfect - once more.

Great shot, Paul. The light was perfect, and I like the reflection in the water. Great note! :)

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