BITTERN
Botaurus stellaris
The whole plumage is white, except the quills, which are black. Legs and bill crimson. Length 40 in.; wing 23 in.
Some fourteen examples in all of this fine bird have been procured in England. It breeds in Sweden, Denmark and East Germany and thence eastwards in Central and Southern Russia. Like the White Stork, it is a migrant, wintering in Africa.
The whole of the plumage is black, with metallic reflections, except the lower breast and vent, which are white. Length 38 in.; wing 21 in.
In the southern and eastern parts of England this species used to be well known as an autumn migrant, but of late years it has become decidedly scarcer. It breeds commonly in the marismas of Spain and the marshes of the Danube.
The head, neck, and under parts are a deep coppery brown; back, wings, and tail glossy brownish black. The bill is long and shaped like that of a Curlew. The sexes and young are alike in plumage. Length 22 in.; wing 10·75 in.
This species used formerly to breed in several localities in England, but these have long been deserted. It, however, still occurs on migration, and a few annually visit the Norfolk Broads in spring, where, as they are now strictly protected, it is to be hoped that they may once again be induced to nest. It still nests in Holland, but in other districts where it used to occur it seems to have died out as a breeding species, and is now restricted to more southern localities, such as the south of Spain, the Danube, and the Black Sea.
The whole of the plumage is white; gular pouch orange; bill black, with yellow tip; legs black. The sexes are alike in plumage. The young may be distinguished by the black ends to the quill feathers and the flesh-coloured bill. The adult plumage is not fully assumed till in the second or third year. Length 36 in.; bill 8·5 in.; wing 14·5 in.
This curious and well-known bird is only a very rare straggler to our shores. It breeds in the Camargue district at the mouth of the Rhone as well as in Spain, but its main breeding grounds are in Africa. It nests in colonies, the nests being conical structures, formed of mud, built near the edge of the water. It is now definitely ascertained that it sits with its long legs doubled up, and not straddle-legged as was stated by early travellers. The food consists of minute crustacea and other insects.
The adult is of a pale rose pink all over, darker on the wing coverts. The quills are black. Legs pink; bill rosy, with black tip. The young are of a pale mottled brown. Length about 5 ft.; wing 15 in.
Although about a century ago this bird used to nest in the fens of Cambridge and Lincolnshire, it has long since ceased to do so, and the only places where it may still be found breeding in these islands are in the north of Scotland and in the Outer Hebrides. In winter it occurs on our coasts in company with other species of Geese, but it is by no means common, and the majority pass on to the south, reappearing on their way north in spring. The food consists chiefly of grass and other green food, which it seeks on salt marshes near the sea by day, retiring to the shore to rest at night. It is the only Goose that breeds in our islands. The nest is begun in the middle of April and consists merely of a “scrape” amongst the grass or heather which is lined, as incubation proceeds, with down plucked from the body of the female. The eggs are usually six in number and dull yellowish white in colour.
As soon as the female begins to sit the males gather together in small flocks and take no further interest in their mates. Geese are strong fliers, and, being very wary birds, extremely difficult to approach. In flight they usually assume a wedge-shaped formation known as a “skein.” The note is a harsh “gaggle, gaggle,” like that of our domestic Goose, which is supposed to have originated from this species.
There is some doubt as to the origin of the name Grey Lag, but it is now generally conceded to have been applied to this species because it lagged behind after the other Geese had gone to their breeding quarters in the north.
The adult is greyish brown on the upper parts and breast, the rest of the under parts being whitish grey with a few black feathers. The young are rather darker and lack the black feathers underneath. Length 34 in.; wing 17 in.
This Goose, whose chief breeding grounds are in Siberia, though it also nests across the whole of Northern Europe, visits us in fair numbers every winter, but it is more abundant in the south and south-west than on the east coast, and is everywhere very local in its distribution.
It very closely resembles the Grey Lag Goose, but there is more white on the forehead; the bill is orange yellow with white nail, and the legs orange. Length 27 in.; wing 16 in.
This species nests throughout Northern Europe and Asia. It is common on our coasts in winter, and is in fact the most abundant of our wild Geese. In Scotland, however, it is not so numerous as the preceding species.
This bird feeds inland on grain and vegetation.
The bill is black, with an orange band across the centre and a black nail; the amount of orange on the bill varies, however, in individuals, and several forms have been differentiated, though the matter requires further confirmation before being finally accepted. The amount of orange in the bill may also vary, in some cases, during the life of a single individual. Legs orange yellow. There is no bluish grey on the shoulder of the wing, as in the Grey Lag and Pink-footed. Length 34 in.; wing 19 in.
On the east of England and Scotland this species is very plentiful during the winter, but in the south of England and on our west coasts it is comparatively rare, and its occurrence in Ireland is not yet authenticated. It breeds in Northern Europe and is apparently the only “Grey Goose” breeding on Spitzbergen.
The bill is black, with pink across the centre and a black nail. Legs pink. This pink colour has sometimes a yellowish tinge and so cannot be accepted as a definite character on which to diagnose this species. The wing, however, in the Pink-footed Goose is blue grey, approaching that of the Grey Lag, and this, together with its smaller size, will distinguish it from the preceding species. Length 28 in.; wing 17·5 in.
This is a North American species, breeding in Arctic Regions and wandering south in winter. It has occurred several times in Ireland, and small flocks were seen in Cumberland, Northumberland, and Yorkshire during the severe winter of 1890-91.
The adult is pure white, with black quills. The young is brownish grey on the back, lighter on the under parts. Length about 30 in.; wing 17 in.
Only one or two examples of this rare Goose have been obtained in this country. It breeds in Eastern Siberia, whence it migrates southwards past the Ural and Caspian Seas.
The general colour above is black; the ear patches, throat, and breast chestnut; lores and belly white; chin black. Length 21 in.; wing 14·5 in.
Nesting abundantly in Greenland and in some numbers on Spitzbergen, the Bernacle Goose is by no means uncommon in winter along the west coast of the United Kingdom as far south as Lancaster, as well as on the north coast of Ireland. Elsewhere in these islands it is decidedly rare. It feeds on grass pastures near the sea, almost invariably by night.
This species is commonly kept in captivity, where it breeds freely.
The crown of the head, neck, and upper breast are black; mantle grey, barred with black and white; forehead, cheeks, and chin white. Under parts greyish. Tail coverts pure white. Length 27 in.; wing 16 in.
This species is one of the most abundant of our Geese, and is found in enormous flocks round our coasts throughout the whole winter. It breeds along the west coast of Greenland and also on the islands and northern coasts of Russia and Siberia. It feeds chiefly by day, and is fond of wading about in mud-flats or in shallow water feeding on aquatic vegetation.
The whole plumage is chiefly black, except the tail coverts, which are white, and a white patch on each side of the neck. Length 22 in.; wing 13 in.
Formerly breeding in small numbers in the Orkneys, this species now only visits us during the winter, its numbers depending largely on the severity of the climate in Northern Europe. It frequents bays, estuaries, and inland lakes, feeding on weeds and aquatic vegetation. The note is a loud “whoop, whoop, whoop,” from which its trivial name has been derived, and is often uttered as they fly along the shore in a long straggling line. The sexes are alike in plumage, as are all palæarctic Swans, and this species may be distinguished by the colour of the bill, which is black at the tip and yellow at the base, the yellow extending forward beyond the openings of the black nostrils. The base of the bill is flat and quadrangular and not knobbed as in the Mute Swan. Length 60 in.; wing 25·5 in.
This species, which is smaller than the Whooper, visits us regularly every winter, and is in some places the commoner of the wild Swans. In Scotland it is abundant in some seasons as it is also in Ireland, but on the coasts of England and Wales it is always rather scarce. It breeds in the Far North to the east of the White Sea.
It may be distinguished from the Whooper by its smaller size and the extent of the yellow on the beak, which does not quite reach the nostrils. Length about 46 in.; wing about 21 in.
In this country the Mute Swan is only met with in a state of semi-domestication, having been introduced at some early period of history. It is now, however, widely distributed throughout our islands. Inhabiting lakes, rivers, and ornamental waters, it feeds on aquatic weeds and grain, and is extremely useful in preventing an undue growth of weeds in ornamental ponds and lakes. The nest is a huge structure of straw and rushes, built upon the edge of the water, or in the centre of a reed-bed. The eggs, which vary in number from five to nine or ten, are of a uniform pale green, and are hatched after some five weeks’ incubation.
The young, which are covered at first with greyish down, are carefully tended by both parents, and when tired nestle on their parents’ back. In olden times the right to keep Swans on the Thames was granted by the King to many of the City Companies, and in the autumn of each year (a custom which is still continued) the young Swans are caught up and marked on the bill with the private mark of the Company to whom they belong. This is known as “Swan upping.” The male is known as the “Cob” and the female as the “Pen,” and the rules and regulations clearly state how the brood shall be awarded in the event of the Cob and Pen belonging to different Companies, while the landowner on whose ground they nest also comes in for a share.
At the nest the male Swan is very savage, attacking any intruder with his bill and with savage beats of his powerful wings; his mate, however, is very quiet and will allow herself to be pushed off the nest with no stronger protestation than a subdued “hiss.”
This Swan is not mute as its name implies, but has a loud trumpet-like note, to which, however, it seldom gives utterance.
In a purely wild state, this species may be found breeding in Denmark and the south of Sweden, and it is a common breeding species in South-eastern Europe. From its northern breeding haunts it migrates in winter, many probably coming over to our shores.
The plumage is pure white; the bill reddish orange with a black knob at its base. This knob is much larger than in the male. The young are greyish drab. The so-called “Polish Swan” is a variety of this species, in which the young are white. Length about 56 in.; wing 27 in.
Although somewhat local in its breeding haunts, this species is fairly abundant round all our coasts in winter. It is a Sea-Duck, being seldom found far inland, and its food consists of small mollusca and marine insects, which it seeks on our flat estuaries and along the shore.
A rabbit-burrow in sand-dunes near the sea is chosen for a nesting-site, and lined with a little grass, to which is subsequently added an abundance of grey down from the body of the female. Occasionally it makes its own burrow, or other sites such as crevices between boulders or under furze bushes are selected. The eggs, generally ten in number, are creamy white. As soon as they are hatched the mother leads her brood to the shore, where they feed, making for the sea on the first sign of danger.
During the pairing season this bird is very noisy, the male uttering a short whistle, while both sexes run round each other with out-stretched neck, making a curious guttural chuckle.
In winter large flocks of these birds visit us from the Continent. These flocks may be seen resting out at sea by day and come in to feed on the soft ooze by night; they are of course more partial to flat and sandy parts of the coast, but may nevertheless often be found in small sandy bays on an otherwise rocky shore.
The head and neck are glossy bluish black; the scapulars and primaries black. There is a broad band of bright chestnut across the back and breast, and a black stripe along the centre of the under parts. Speculum green. The rest of the plumage is pure white. Legs flesh pink; bill crimson. The sexes are alike, but the female is smaller and duller. The male has a crimson knob at the base of his bill which swells up considerably during the breeding season.
The young bird lacks the chestnut band, the head and neck are dull brownish black, the scapulars greyish brown, and in its first autumn it assumes a plumage similar to the adult female, but duller. Length 25 in.; wing 13 in. Both sexes assume in July a much duller plumage, somewhat resembling that of the young in their first winter.
The Ruddy Sheld-Duck is a South-eastern European species, breeding on the shores of the Levant and throughout Northern Africa, but it is rare on the north shores of the Mediterranean west of the Adriatic. It has several times been noted as a straggler to England, and in 1892 many flocks appeared in different parts of the country.
SHELD-DUCK
Tadorna cornuta
The general colour is a deep orange brown, the head being rather lighter. The male has a narrow black collar during the nesting season. The female is much paler on the head, the forehead, lores, and a ring round the eye being nearly white. Length 25 in.; wing 14·5 in.
This is at once our commonest and most beautiful Duck. Owing to drainage of fen-lands and higher cultivation it is, perhaps, not so abundant as formerly, yet there are few marshes or low-lying lands of any extent in our islands, which do not afford a home to a few pairs of this species.
It feeds chiefly by night on worms, aquatic insects, water weeds, and grain, and prefers ditches overgrown with weeds or shallow ponds to open stretches of deep water. Early in March it chooses a nesting site, usually on the ground and at no great distance from water, but exceptionally it has been known to nest in trees, faggots, stacks, and other elevated places. No nest is formed, but a cup-shaped hollow is scraped out, which is warmly lined with down after incubation commences. The eggs, usually ten to twelve in number, are pale greenish yellow, and are always carefully covered up by the Duck on leaving the nest. They hatch after twenty-seven days’ incubation, and the young are then taken to the nearest water, on or near which they remain for about two months till they can fly. If, however, they are much disturbed they will be led away by their mother to a neighbouring piece of water, often at some considerable distance.
In a wild state the Mallard, as the male of this species is called, is strictly monogamous, and during the whole of incubation he will remain in the vicinity of the nest, warning his mate of the approach of danger, and accompanying her when she comes off to feed. Once the young are hatched he retires to some secluded and sheltered piece of water, where he assumes a dull plumage, somewhat resembling that of the female. During this period he becomes very skulking, rarely showing himself on the open water. When his dull or “eclipse” plumage has been assumed, he casts all his flight feathers at once, and for a short time becomes incapable of flight. These grow again in about a fortnight, and then in September he begins to assume his brilliant colours once more, and comes from his secluded retreat to join his comrades. In the winter they gather in large flocks, which resort to open sheets of water or the sea, flighting every evening to the marshes and shore to feed, and retiring again at daybreak to rest on the water.
MALLARD OR WILD DUCK
Anas boschas
It is these daily movements of Duck that are known to sportsmen as “flights,” and they afford excellent shooting to the gunner concealed on their route. Vast numbers of this and other species of Duck used formerly to be taken in decoys, but partly owing to decrease in the numbers of the fowl, or still more to the increase of shooters, who frighten them away, few if any decoys are now worked at a profit in this country. A decoy is a pond in a suitable locality near the sea surrounded by trees and having two or four curved arms known as “pipes” running up at the different corners. These pipes are covered with netting, and end in a small bag net. The Duck are enticed up by tame birds and by means of a red dog that they follow out of curiosity. When some way up the pipe they see behind them the decoyman, who has hitherto been concealed by an ingenious arrangement of reed-screens, and rather than turn back and face him, they rise and fly up the pipe into the net. The whole operation must be carried out in silence so as not to scare the other birds on the pond, who remain in complete ignorance of their comrades’ fate. Absolute quiet and plenty of food are the essentials for the successful working of a decoy. They are still used in Holland, where they form a considerable source of profit to their owners; their number is limited, and a licence has to be paid for each decoy.
After the brood can fly the Duck loses her primaries and becomes incapable of flight for a short time, but as soon as her quills are grown the whole family move off to join the flocks, which are now rapidly forming. Large numbers visit us yearly from abroad, and a spell of severe weather in midwinter still further increases their numbers.
The male has a glossy green head and neck, the latter being encircled by a narrow white ring; rump and tail coverts glossy greenish black, the four central coverts upturned; chest and breast deep chestnut; rest of under parts pale grey, vermiculated with black; bill greenish yellow; legs orange. The Duck is dark brown, the feathers having paler edgings. The young resemble the female, but the males have assumed their full dress by October. The male in eclipse has a plumage which approximates to that of the female. Length 23 in.; wing 11 in.
The Gadwall is a scarce visitor to our shores, occurring irregularly along the east coasts of Scotland and England, but it is very rarely seen in the west or in Ireland. In a few places in Norfolk, where it was originally introduced, it breeds, and has of late years considerably increased both there and in the surrounding counties. In habits it resembles the Mallard. The eggs are usually ten in number and of a delicate creamy pink. It may be easily recognised on the wing by its white speculum.
On the Continent it nests in Central and Eastern Europe, its breeding range extending to the far north of Russia. It winters in the Mediterranean basin.
The adult male is greyish brown, with darker mottlings on the head and neck; back dark brown, with greyish markings; median wing coverts chestnut; greater coverts almost black. Under parts white, grey on the flanks and vent. Under tail coverts black. The female is marked with dark brown and buff much like a Wild Duck, but is recognisable by the white speculum. The young somewhat resemble the female. The white speculum forms a distinctive mark of this species at all ages. Length 20 in.; wing 10·5 in.
This bird is by no means rare with us in winter, when large numbers come over from abroad. It is essentially an inland species, preferring small and sheltered pieces of water rather than wide open stretches. Its most characteristic feature is the large flattened bill with which it feeds on the surface-swimming animalculæ and other insects, the broad lamellæ of the mandibles forming an efficient strainer. When feeding three or four will often follow each other in a circle, each feeding in the other’s wake. Of late years it has become more numerous as a breeding bird, and it now nests commonly in the Broads and other districts of Norfolk and the eastern counties. In Kent and the Midlands, Yorkshire and the North, it nests sparingly, as well as in some of the southern and eastern counties of Scotland. In Ireland it is a local but by no means scarce species. Except in the breeding season it is a very silent bird; when courting it moves its head up and down, uttering a low “took, took,” which is answered by the female. The nest is generally placed at some distance from the water in the middle of a dry grass-field, where there is hardly any cover beyond a small patch of grass more luxuriant than the rest.
The eggs, which number from eight to ten, are pale greenish buff in colour. The female sits very closely, and the male remains in attendance at no great distance and accompanies her when she comes off to feed. The incubation period of this species is rather shorter than with most Ducks, and lasts between twenty-one and twenty-three days. The young are solely looked after by the Duck, and when first hatched their bills show no trace of the broadening and flattening, characteristic of the adult.
During the summer the Drake assumes an “eclipse” plumage, which somewhat resembles that of the Duck. In October he begins, unlike most other species, to assume an “intermediate” plumage, in which the head is very dark but not metallic, and the white of the breast is obscured by dark transverse bars. The full plumage is not usually complete till the end of February or early in March.
In this country our breeding birds are practically resident, only shifting from their nesting-quarters when frozen out. The majority of birds met with, however, in winter are immigrants from the Continent, who leave us again in March.
The adult Drake in full plumage is a beautiful bird. The head and upper neck are metallic green; lower neck, breast, and scapulars white; back brown; shoulders pale blue; greater wing coverts white. The under parts are deep chestnut; speculum green; bill black; legs orange.
The Duck is dark brown, with light rufous buff edgings to the feathers. Shoulders bluish. The young at first resemble the Duck, and in November begin to assume the “intermediate” plumage described above, except that the breast feathers are spotted and not barred. It does not always assume its full plumage in the first year.
SHOVELLER
Spatula clypeata
This species visits us in large numbers during the winter, arriving in September and not leaving our shores till April. During this period it is essentially a Sea-Duck, haunting shallow shores and estuaries, where it feeds on aquatic vegetation, crustacea, and other animal life brought in by each tide. It is commoner on the east coast than elsewhere owing to the large tracts of shore suited to its habits, but it may be found in smaller numbers on the west and in Ireland, wherever suitable localities exist.
It is only of late years that it has been known to nest in this country, a small colony having established themselves on one of the Scotch lochs. Elsewhere it breeds abundantly throughout Northern Europe, migrating southwards in winter. The nest is placed in a dry situation, at some little distance from the water. The eggs are rather elongated in shape and pale buffish green in colour.
The adult male has a brown head, greenish black on the nape. A white stripe runs down the neck on either side, merging into the white of the under parts. Back and flanks dark brown, mottled with grey. Wing coverts buff; speculum bronze green; tail black, the two central feathers much elongated; under tail coverts black; bill and legs slate grey. The female is of varying shades of buff and brown. The elongated neck and general shape of this species is sufficient to distinguish it from others of its family. The young resemble the female, and moult directly into their full plumage in their first autumn. The eclipse plumage of the Drake, which is dark brown above and smoky grey below, is lost about October. Length 26 in.; wing 11 in.
This is the smallest of our native species of Duck, and is fairly common throughout our islands at all times of the year, but its numbers are largely augmented in winter by the arrival of vast flocks from abroad. It may be found in winter near the mouths of rivers and shallow estuaries as well as inland; its food consists of grain, insects, worms, slugs, and molluscs.
It breeds throughout our islands, but more abundantly in the north. The nest is generally placed at some distance from water on a dry moorland or rough grass-field, and this species makes a rough nest of leaves and grass, lined with down. The eggs, eight to ten in number, are creamy white.
The male has the crown, nape, cheeks, and throat chestnut; an elongated patch of purplish green behind the eye, the rest of the upper parts vermiculated with black and white except the rump and tail coverts, which are black. Under parts white, the lower part of the neck and breast being spotted and sometimes of a yellowish tinge; flanks vermiculated with black. Speculum green and purplish black. Bill black, legs brownish grey. The female is mottled with brown and buff. The young resemble the female. The male in his eclipse dress, which is worn till late in October or November, resembles the female very closely, more so in fact than is the case with any other species. Length 14·5; wing 7·25 in.
This species has only occurred three or four times in these islands. The male differs from the Common Teal in having some greyish vermiculated feathers on either side of the breast, and the buffish white lines on the face are very slightly defined. The female cannot be distinguished from our native species. Length 16 in.; wing 7·25 in.
This American species has been taken at least once in the United Kingdom. The male has the throat, forehead, and crown dark lead colour, and a long crescentic patch of white in front of the eye. Cheeks and neck dull lavender grey. Length 16 in.; wing 7·25 in.
This is one of our scarcest species, coming to us as a summer immigrant from April to September, and remaining in a few suitable spots to breed. It is commonest in Norfolk, and may also be found in Hants, Kent, Suffolk, and Yorkshire. Elsewhere its occurrences are rare and only consist of stragglers on migration.
It breeds regularly on the Continent from Sweden southwards, becoming commoner in the east.
The nest is usually placed in a dry and often open situation, where there is but little cover. The eggs resemble those of the Teal, but are rather greener in tint.
The crown and nape of the male are dark brown, with a conspicuous white stripe passing backwards over the eye. Cheeks and neck brown ticked with white. Back dark brown; wing coverts bluish grey. Chin black; breast pale brown, with dark crescentic bars; remainder of under parts white. Vermiculated on the flanks. Speculum green; bill black; legs greenish. Female somewhat similar to Duck of the common Teal, but may be distinguished by the presence of a light stripe over the eye. The feathers of the back are dark with light margins, not barred as in the Teal, while the feathers of the breast are also entirely dark with white margins. Length 16 in.; wing 7·8 in.
The Wigeon is one of our commonest winter visitors, arriving in large numbers from early in September onwards, and frequenting estuaries, bays, and tidal waters, but rarely wandering far inland. Although feeding also on marine insects and crustacea, it is chiefly a vegetable eater, living almost entirely upon Zostera marina.
In Scotland a good many pairs remain to breed, and during the summer it frequents high moorlands and inland waters. The nest is placed in a tuft of rushes or among heather, and the eggs, usually ten in number, are of a delicate creamy white. The note is a melodious whistle, which may be expressed as “whee you.”
The male has the head and neck chestnut, with a broad buff stripe extending backwards over the crown; back grey uniformly vermiculated; throat and upper neck chestnut; breast white, vermiculated on the flanks; shoulders white; speculum green. In the eclipse plumage the head is dark chestnut, grizzled with brown; back brown, with chestnut edgings to the feathers; flanks chestnut; under parts white. The female is dark brownish grey above, lighter on the wing coverts, and white underneath. Length 18·5 in.; wing 10·5 in.
One or two examples of this species have occurred in this country at long intervals. It may be distinguished from our Wigeon by the forehead and crown being dull white, the cheeks and neck whitish, speckled with brown, and a green stripe passing backwards from the eye. The female has the head and neck yellowish white, speckled with black. Length 19 in.; wing 10·25 in.
The Red-crested Pochard, whose nesting home is in South-Eastern Europe, though it also nests sparingly in the Rhone delta and Spain, is only a rare straggler to these islands, and most of the examples have been obtained in Norfolk, where as recently as last year, 1906, a flock of eight appeared, and needless to say were soon all shot.
It is a much larger bird than the Common Pochard, and may be distinguished by its rufous crest, red bill, and legs, though differing also in many other particulars. There are sixteen tail feathers instead of fourteen as in the genus Fuligula. Length 22 in.; wing 10·5 in.
WIGEON
Mareca penelope
With this and the preceding species we come to the second division of the Ducks, which are known as Diving Ducks, in contradistinction to the others which are known as surface-feeders, although quite capable, when alarmed, of diving. Diving Ducks may be recognised by having the legs placed further back on the body, thus rendering their progress on land rather difficult, and by the hind toe being lobed.
The Pochard is chiefly a winter visitor to our shores, occurring not uncommonly in most seasons, but being in some years much more numerous than in others. It chiefly frequents the sea-coasts, feeding on crustacea, molluscs, and a certain amount of marine or aquatic weeds, which it procures almost entirely by diving, but it is by no means exclusively confined to such localities, and is frequently met with on inland waters, provided they are of sufficient size. In spring the majority leave us for their breeding haunts on the Continent, but as a breeding species with us it is on the increase, and may be found in a certain number of favoured localities throughout England and Scotland. In Ireland, where it is fairly abundant during the winter, it has only been known to nest on a few occasions.
The note of the male is a low whistle, but both sexes utter an alarm-note, which may be syllabled as “curre.” The nest is always placed in thick cover close to the water’s edge, and the eggs, which number seven to ten and are fairly large for the size of the bird, are of a greenish drab colour.
The adult male has the head and neck chestnut; the breast and upper parts black, the latter being finely freckled with grey. Under parts greyish white. Bill black, with a broad band of slate grey across it. Legs bluish grey. In its eclipse plumage the head becomes much browner, and the chest is brown, faintly barred with lighter. The female has the head, neck, and chest dull brown; the chin light, the rest of the plumage being like the male but duller. The young resemble the female. Length 19 in.; wing 8·25 in.
In England this species has been observed on a good many occasions, though some of the instances may have been those of escaped birds. It has also been obtained in Scotland and Ireland. It breeds fairly abundantly throughout Central and Southern Europe, where it is resident.
The male has the head, neck, and upper breast rich chestnut brown, the rest of the upper parts brown, under parts white. The female is duller. It may always be recognised by the white irides. Length 16 in.; wing 7·75 in.
This species is the commonest of our Diving Ducks, nesting in increasing numbers on many of our inland waters throughout England, Scotland, and Ireland.
In winter, as is the case with most Ducks, large numbers arrive from abroad, and may be found in shallow bays, estuaries, and inland waters in company with other species.
In food and habits it much resembles the Pochard, and is very good eating after it has been in inland waters for some time.
The nest is placed on rushes, and the eggs, which sometimes number as many as thirteen, are greenish buff, and are said to hatch after about twenty-three days’ incubation.
The adult male has the crest, head, and neck purplish black; speculum white. Under parts, including the flanks, snow white. Bill slate grey; eye golden yellow; legs bluish. In the eclipse plumage it becomes much browner, somewhat resembling the female.
The female is sooty brown above and greyish brown below, and her crest is much shorter than that of the male. At the end of summer she becomes white round the base of the bill for two or three months, but individuals vary much in this respect. The young resemble the female, and have a whitish forehead. Length 17·25 in.; wing 8 in.
Breeding in the far north of Europe this species visits us in considerable numbers during the winter, feeding on molluscs, crustacea, and small fish, which are plentiful on our low, flat, alluvial shores. It goes about in large flocks, and although obtaining much of its food by diving, it is also fond of feeding on the soft ooze left bare by the receding tide. The note is a harsh “scaup.”
It is only during the last two or three years that it has been proved beyond doubt to nest in a particular locality in Scotland, where it is strictly preserved.
The nest is placed among stones or rough grass near some pool or mere, and the eggs, which are pale greenish grey, are usually about ten in number.
The male has the whole of the head, neck, breast, and upper parts black, the mantle being thickly vermiculated with white. Under parts white; bill greyish blue; eyes pale yellow; legs bluish. The female has those parts which are black in the male dull brown, and the vermiculations on the back are very scanty. There is a white band round the base of the bill. The young resemble the female, and immature Drakes do not acquire their full plumage for two or three years. Length 19 in; wing 8·5 in.
TUFTED DUCK
Fuligula cristata
Breeding in Northern Europe, this species generally arrives here in October, and may be found sparingly on inland rivers and lakes, as well as in estuaries, becoming commoner in the north. In food and general habits it much resembles the preceding species, but its nest is placed in holes of trees at some distance from the ground, the old hole of a Black Woodpecker being frequently made use of in Scandinavia. The Lapps, in order to obtain the eggs of this and other kindred species, place nest-boxes in the pine and birch woods, the majority of which are tenanted by this species. The eggs, about twelve in number, are bright green. It has never been known to nest with us.
The male has the head and upper neck glossy greenish black, with a conspicuous white oval patch under each eye; the rest of the upper parts, except the scapulars, black; scapulars, a large wing patch, and under parts white. Bill bluish black. Legs yellow, with black webs. The female has the black parts in the male replaced by greyish brown, and the white wing patch is much smaller in extent. The white spot below the eye is absent. The neck and breast are greyish. The young resemble the female. Length 18·5 in.; wing 8·25 in.
Only two or three examples of this North American species have been obtained in this country. In general coloration it bears a distant resemblance to the Golden-eye, but the male may be recognised by the presence of a large triangular white patch on the head, having its apex at the back of the eye. The female is a dull-coloured bird of various shades of brown. Length 15 in.; wing 6·75 in.
Like many other of our Ducks this is a species which breeds in the north and only visits us in winter. It is fairly common in the north of Scotland and adjoining islands, and there is some evidence that it may occasionally have stayed to breed in the Shetlands. On the east of England immature examples are sometimes shot, especially in severe winters, and the same may be said for the north of Ireland. Over the rest of our islands it is decidedly a rare bird.
Like most Diving Ducks, its food consists of crustaceans and molluscs, and during the winter it is rarely found inland; in the breeding season, however, it frequents small meres and ponds, feeding largely on aquatic vegetation.
The nest is placed near the water on the ground, and warmly lined with down. The eggs are of a bluish green colour.
In its plumage this species is somewhat peculiar. It assumes in October a black-and-white plumage, in which the head and neck are white except for a brownish grey patch on the cheeks and an oval patch of dark brown on each side of the neck. The upper parts, breast, wing coverts, and central tail feathers, which latter are much elongated, are black. The scapulars, secondaries, outer tail feathers, and under parts white. Bill black, with pinkish band. Legs lead grey. In April, just previous to the breeding season, the white portions of the upper parts are changed, and become of various shades of brown or tawny. The female lacks the elongated tail feathers, is duller, and has the white portions brownish; otherwise she resembles the Drake and undergoes similar changes of plumage. Length, inclusive of tail, 25 in.; wing 8·8 in.
Iceland is the nearest breeding resort of this species, which nests also in Eastern Siberia, and only three or four examples have occurred on our coasts.
It is a very peculiarly marked Duck; the general colour above is bluish black, with a white spot at the base of the bill and behind each ear; a white line runs backwards over the crown, and another down the sides of the neck. A white ring, bordered with black, encircles the lower neck, and there is another similar one across the breast; the under parts are dark greyish brown. Length 17 in.; wing 8 in.
This exclusively Sea-Duck is not uncommon from Northumberland northwards, where it is resident, and breeds in all suitable localities; but over the rest of our coasts it is rare, and only met with occasionally.
In food and habits it calls for no special comment. The nest is placed usually on low rocky islets among the herbage or in crevices of the rocks, but it is sometimes found at considerable distances from the water and often at some height above the sea. Five is the usual number in a clutch, the eggs being large, somewhat pointed, and greenish grey in colour. This bird is famous for the down with which its nest is lined, and on this account is stringently protected in many places abroad. The first two nests are generally taken, the Duck being allowed to hatch her third clutch unmolested.
The Drakes are extremely handsome birds. The head and neck are black, with the exception of a white line running backwards from the crown to the nape, which is green. The cheeks, back wing coverts, and long sickle-shaped secondaries (characteristic of the Eider Ducks) white. Wings, rump, and tail black; breast warm buff. Rest of under parts black. Bill and legs greenish. In the “eclipse” plumage the whole of the head and white portions of the body (except the wing coverts) become dull brownish black. The female is rufous buff, with darker bars. Length 23 in.; wing 11 in.
Essentially an Arctic species, and rarely wandering south even in winter, this species is a somewhat scarce visitor to our shores, though a good many examples have been taken, especially in the north. The large raised orange tubercle at the base of the bill and the dark clear-cut V mark underneath the chin, form fairly distinctive characters by which this species may be recognised, though an imperfect V mark is sometimes found on the Common Eider. The sickle-shaped secondaries are black and not white, as in the Common Eider. The female is smaller, but otherwise resembles the Common Eider, though on close examination she may be distinguished by the shape and extent of the backward prolongation of the beak sheath. Length 21 in.; wing 10·5 in.
This is an Arctic species, nesting sparingly in Europe and more commonly on the tundras of Eastern Siberia. It is not very rare on the coast of Norway in winter, where many migrate westwards. Two examples only have been obtained in Great Britain.
It is the smallest of our Eiders. The male has the head white, with a bluish black patch across the occiput and on the chin. The rest of the upper parts are bluish black, except the falcate secondaries, which are striped with white. Under parts rufous chestnut. The female, except in size, is very like the Common Eider, but darker. Length 18 in.; wing 8·5 in.
This species, except during the breeding season, is almost exclusively a Sea-Duck, spending most of its time some distance out at sea, only approaching the shallower water near the shore for food, and rarely entering bays or estuaries, except under stress of weather.
It is very common round all our coasts, but commonest, perhaps, in the North Sea, where flocks of many thousands may often be seen during the winter months.
The main breeding grounds are the wide tundras of Northern Europe and Siberia, but a few pairs nest in the north of Scotland. The nest is usually placed on an islet in a small lake or mere, and composed of a few tufts of moss and heather lined with down. The eggs, eight or nine in number, are yellowish white in colour. As a rule it is a silent species, but during the breeding season the male utters a flute-like “tui, tui, tui.”