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The 'Cotton Pygmy Goose' or the 'Cotton Teal'
The book of Indian Birds, Twelfth Centenary edition, , Salim, Ali, Bombay Natural History Society/Oxford University Press, 1983, , ''Nettapus coromandelianus'' is a small perching duck which breeds in India, Pakistan, southeast Asia and south to northern Australia. It is locally known as Girri, Girria, Girja (Hindi); Gurgura (Etawah); Bali hans (Bengal); Bhullia hans (Bangladesh); Dandana (Orissa); Ade, Atla (Ratnagiri); Naher, Keeke, Chuwa (Nowgong, Assam); Baher, Kararhi (Sind, Pakistan).

Contents

Description

Distribution

Food

Nesting

Media

References

External links

Description

The smallest of the Indian wild ducks, white predominates in the plumage. Bill short, deep at base, and goose-like.
Male in breeding plumage is glossy blackish green crown, with white head, neck, and underparts; a prominent black collar and white wing-bar. Rounded head and short legs.
In flight, the wings are green with a white band, making the male conspicuous even amongst the huge flying flocks of the Lesser Whistling Duck, which share the habitat.
Female paler, without either black collar and only a narrow or
nonexistent strip of white wing-bar.
In non-breeding plumage (eclipse) male resembles female except for his white wing-bar.
Flocks on water bodies (jheels), etc.
Call: A peculiar clucking, uttered in flight

Distribution

It is largely resident, apart from dispersion in the wet season, but Chinese birds winter further south. It nests in tree holes, laying 8-15 eggs.
This is an abundant species in Asia, although the slightly larger Australian race appears to be declining in numbers.
Found on all still freshwater lakes (jheels), rain-filled ditches, inundated paddy fields, irrigation tanks, etc. Becomes very tame on village tanks wherever it is unmolested and has become inured to human proximity. Swift on the wing, and can dive creditably on occasion.

Food

Chiefly seeds and vegetable matter, especially water lilies; also insects, crustaceans, etc.

Nesting

Season- July to September (SW. monsoon). Nest- a natural hollow in a tree-trunk standing in or near water, sometimes lined with grass, rubbish and feathers. Eggs- 6 to 12, ivory white.

Media

References

★ ''Wildfowl'' by Madge and Burn, ISBN 0-7470-2201-1

★ ''Birds of Goa'' (video)

External links

★ BirdLife Species Factsheet

★ IUCN Red List