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Male Paradise Shelduck
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| [Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note |
Paradise Shelduck (Tadorna variegata Putangitangi)
A large goose-like duck. The male has a black head with a greenish gloss and a dark grey finely barred black body. The female has a white head, and a bright orange-chestnut body, obscured by darker fine barring in eclipse plumage. In flight both have prominent white patches on the upperwings.They are very vocal and the male call is a ‘zonk-zonk…’, and the female a shrill ‘zeek-zeek’. They are usually seen in pairs or flocks in farmland, lakes, ponds and high-country riverbeds. All birds gather at traditional moult sites in December – February, and disperse again in March – April.
Paradise Shelduck graze on grass and clover, grass and weed seeds, and stubble or standing crops of peas or grain, causing damage to young pasture, hay and grain crops. They also eat aquatic vegetation.
Breeding is between August and December. Birds pair for life. The nest of grasses, lined with down feathers is usually built in hollow logs, burrows, rock crevices, under exposed tree roots, or in a tree hole up to 25 metres above the ground. The clutch of 5 – 15 white eggs is incubated by the female for 30 - 35 days. Once hatched the chicks are led to open water, which can be over a kilometre away and fledge at 8 weeks old.
There is at least one pair of paradise shelduck on Tiri.
Vital Statistics
Conservation Status: Partially Protected Endemic
Mainland Status: Widespread
Size: 63cm, 1700g (male) 1400g (female)
Life Span: 23 years possibly, average 2.3 yrs
Breeding: August - December
Diet: Grass, seeds, aquatic vegetation
Image Information
Camera: Canon 10D
Time of day: 10:07 a.m.
Date: 19th February 2005
Weather conditions: Clear
Lens: Sigma 80-400mm OS
Filter: Hoya 77mm UV
Shutter Speed: 1/250
F-Stop: F/6.7
Flash: No
Tripod: No
Focal Length: 116mm
ISO: 100 |
sAner, pompey, milloup, Luc, Runnerduck has marked this note useful
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Very beautiful duck Pam.
Great exposure, details and very good colours.
Maybe little to much in the center, but that just minor thing.
Great work.
- pompey
![Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 146 W: 4 N: 745]](http://i1.treknature.com/misc/g-n-g.gif)
(2768) - [2005-03-03 14:53]
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Great shot Pam, I have never seen one in the flesh but it sure is pretty.
Lovely feather definition, great colours and excellent note.
Thanks for sharing.
Beautiful duck, good colours and light. I wonder if it would have been possible to bend lower (or kneel) when taking the photo? That way you could have gotten the head against the blue of the water and generally the bg would probably have been more oof.
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- willie
![Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1023 W: 61 N: 648]](http://i1.treknature.com/misc/g-g-g.gif)
(2083) - [2005-03-03 23:40]
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Gotta run. Will critique Sunday
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- jossim
(12250)
- [2005-03-03 23:45]
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Superbe canard, belle lumière et bonne composition . Les couleurs et la netteté sont excellentes. Félicitations !
Superb shot, I've never seen one of these before. His colours are fantastic, and you've captured them perfectly.
TFS
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- sAner
(4744)
- [2005-03-04 4:53]
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Fantastic light on the duck. The colors are stunning because of that. Details are razorsharp. I agree with Gert that the duck is maybe a little bit too centered. Otherwise it's perfect. Well done. TFS!
Great shot, very good details, coulours and note.
Well done.
TFS.
![Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 483 W: 41 N: 618]](http://i1.treknature.com/misc/g-s-g.gif)
(1706)![Gold Star Critiquer [C: 1752 W: 0 N: 0]](http://i1.treknature.com/misc/g-n-n.gif)
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