| New Zealand Scaup | |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Anseriformes |
| Family: | Anatidae |
| Subfamily: | Aythyinae |
| Genus: | Aythya |
| Species: | A. novaeseelandiae |
| Binomial name | |
| Aythya novaeseelandiae (Gmelin, 1789) |
|
The New Zealand Scaup (Aythya novaeseelandiae) commonly known as a Black teal, is a diving duck species of the genus Aythya. It is endemic to New Zealand. In Maori commonly known as papango, also matapouri, titiporangi, raipo [1].
Contents |
Overall dark brown/black colours. The male has a striking yellow eye and a dark coloured (greenish) head. The female is similar to the male, but without the yellow eye and has a white face patch during breeding season. A white wing bar can be seen in both sexes when in flight [2].
They are a diving duck and may stay down for twenty to thirty seconds and go down three metres to look for aquatic plants, small fish, water snails, mussels and insects [3][4]. It is sometimes seen with the Australian Coot (Fulica atra); it is thought that the Scaup takes advantage of the food stirred up by the Coots as they fossick for shrimps.[4]
Found throughout both North and South islands of New Zealand in deep freshwater lakes and ponds [2]. Unlike other members of this genus this scaup is not migratory, although it does move to open water from high country lakes if they become frozen in winter.[4]
They nest from October to March. They lay five to eight cream/white eggs in a nest close to water, often under banks or thick cover. The nest is usually lined with grass and down [2]. The eggs are incubated for four weeks by the female. The newly hatched duckling take to diving for food on their first outing.[4]