Mum, Dad And The Kids (51663084079)

Description:

Summary[edit] Description: This pair of NZ Scaup came over to show off their two young. That's Mum in front and Dad doing rear guard. New Zealand scaup are quite unlike any other resident duck species. Dark and squat with a rounded profile, they often occur in large flocks, floating with cork-like buoyancy. Scaup are diving ducks and spend a lot of time underwater, where they can travel considerable distances. Both sexes are dark-plumaged, but are easily distinguished. The male has dark black-brown plumage with iridescent blue-green head and wings, and lighter mottling on the chest and underparts. His iris is yellow and bill blue-grey. The female is a duller chocolate brown, paler on her underparts. Her iris is brown and bill grey, normally with a ring of white feathers at the base. Juvenile resemble females until 12 weeks-old when the male iris colour becomes yellow. In flight, all birds have a broad white upper-wing bar and pale white underwing. Scaup have a fast wing beat and often fly just above the water. They sometimes rest on land, but quickly retreat to water when disturbed. nzbirdsonline.org.nz/species/new-zealand-scaup. Date: 8 November 2021, 06:38. Source: Mum, Dad And The Kids. Author: Geoff McKay from Palmerston North, New Zealand.