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| SCIENTIFIC
CLASSIFICATION |
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| COMMON
NAME: |
Australian
shoveler |
| KINGDOM: |
Animalia |
| PHYLUM: |
Chordata |
| CLASS: |
Aves |
| ORDER: |
Anseriformes |
| FAMILY: |
Anatidae
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| GENUS
SPECIES: |
Anas
(duck) rhynchotis rhynchotis (resembling
a bill; refers to spatulate bill) |
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| DESCRIPTION: |
This
duck has a long, spatulate bill and whitish crescent
shaped patches in the area between the bill and
eyes |
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| SIZE: |
46-56 cm (18.4-22.4 in.) |
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| WEIGHT: |
272-480 g (9.5-16.8 oz) |
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| DIET: |
Herbs,
grasses, pondweeds, wigeon grass, eelgrass, and
algae |
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| INCUBATION: |
25-26 days |
| CLUTCH
SIZE |
7-8
eggs |
| FLEDGING
DURATION |
40-45
days |
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| SEXUAL
MATURITY: |
1-2
years |
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| LIFE
SPAN: |
Averages
20-30 years |
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| RANGE: |
Southwestern
and southeastern Australia, Tasmania, and New Zealand |
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| HABITAT: |
Found
in or near shallow lakes and pools with dense reed
beds, marshes and lagoons |
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| POPULATION: |
GLOBAL |
Unknown |
| REGIONAL |
Populations
remain at 100,000-150,000 individuals in New Zealand
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|
| STATUS: |
IUCN |
Not
listed |
| CITES |
Not
listed |
| USFWS |
Not
listed |
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| 1. |
These
ducks sift the surface of the water filtering out
small animals and plants through their bill. Lamellae,
which are a series of tiny vertical slits, are found
along the upper and lower sides of the bill. |
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| 2. |
Males are called drakes, females are hens, and young
are ducklings. |
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| Over
60% of this species lives in areas open to hunting.
In 1987, the bag limit was reduced to two percent
in order to stabilize the populations. These efforts
seem successful; with roughly 30,000 hunted each
year in New Zealand. |
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|
|
| Austin,
G. Birds of The World. New York. Golden Press,
Inc., 1961. |
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|
Gotch, A.F. Birds - Their Latin Names Explained.
UK. Blandford Books Ltd., 1981. |
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Johnsgard, P. Ducks, Geese, and Swans of the
World. Lincoln. Univ. Of Neb. Press, 1978.
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|
|
Scott, P. A Coloured Key of the Wildfowl of the
World. Slimbridge, England. The Wildfowl Trust.
1988. |
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| Todd,
F.S. Natural History of Waterfowl. San Diego,
Ca. Ibis Publishing Co., 1996. |
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