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2

Common Shelduck

(Tadorna tadorna)
Alternate name(s): "Shelduck"
German name(s): "Brandgans"

Size: 55-65 cm (male larger than female); wing span 1.0-1.2 m
Weight: 850-1500 g (male), 560-1250 (female)
Description     Classification     Distribution     Sightings     Photos     Breeding     Nest     Eggs     Behaviour     Food     Call/s

Physical description

Click here for a physical description

Taxonomy, classification

See Common Shelduck at Wikipedia .

Range, habitat, finding this species

Click here for information on habitat and range

Sightings

Click here for sighting information

Photos

ADULT

MALE

Lateral view of a male Common Shelduck; note the prominent frontal shield (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sado estuary, Portugal, January 2023]

Lateral view of a male Common Shelduck feeding in shallow water (photo courtesy of H. Dahlem-Senger)
[Grüner Brink, Fehmarn, Germany, May 2019]

Dorsal view of a (young?) male Common Shelduck (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Montijo, Tejo estuary, Portugal, March 2019]

Dorsal view of a male Common Shelduck with a White Wagtail for comparison (photo courtesy of H. Dahlem-Senger)
[Grüner Brink, Fehmarn, Germany, April 2016]

Comparison of a Common Shelduck with Common Redshanks in breeding plumage (photo courtesy of H. Dahlem-Senger)
[Between Harlesiel and Schilling, Ostfriesland, Germany, June 2021]

Near-frontal view of a male Common Shelduck in flight, wings up (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Moita, Tejo estuary, Portugal, April 2019]

Near-lateral/ventral view of a male Common Shelduck in flight, wings down (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Moita, Tejo estuary, Portugal, April 2019]

FEMALE

Near-frontal view of a female Common Shelduck (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Salinas da Fuzeta, Olhao, Faro, Portugal, November 2021]

Lateral view of a female Common Shelduck (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sapal de Sarilhos Grandes, Montijo, Setubal, Portugal, March 2020]

Lateral view of a female Common Shelduck (photo courtesy of H. Dahlem-Senger)
[Grüner Brink, Fehmarn, Germany, May 2019]

Lateral view of a female Common Shelduck, together with a Common Sandpiper (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Montijo, Tejo estuary, Portugal, March 2019]

Near-dorsal view of a female Common Shelduck (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Montijo, Tejo estuary, Portugal, March 2019]

Lateral view of a female Common Shelduck in flight, wings up (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Montijo, Tejo estuary, Portugal, March 2019]

Lateral view of a female Common Shelduck in flight, wings down (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Montijo, Tejo estuary, Portugal, March 2019]

PAIR

Near-lateral and dorsal view of two Common Shelducks; the absence of a knob on the bird on the right identifies it as a female (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Montargil, Alentejo, Portugal, January 2016]

Lateral view of a pair of Common Shelducks; male on the right (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sapal de Sarilhos Grandes, Montijo, Setubal, Portugal, March 2020]

Lateral view of a pair of Common Shelducks; male on the right (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sapal de Sarilhos Grandes, Montijo, Setubal, Portugal, March 2020]

Dorsal view of a pair of Common Shelducks feeding in shallow water; the most massive bird, on the right, is the male
(photo courtesy of H. Dahlem-Senger)
[Grüner Brink, Fehmarn, Germany, May 2019]

Resting Common Shelducks, male at the centre (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Montijo, Tejo estuary, Portugal, March 2019]

Common Shelducks with a number of other ducks (photo courtesy of H. Dahlem-Senger)
[Between Harlesiel and Schilling, Ostfriesland, Germany, June 2021]

Near-dorsal view of a pair of Common Shelducks in flight, male on the right (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Montijo, Tejo estuary, Portugal, March 2019]

Sex unknown

Lateral view of a resting Common Shelduck (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[St. James's Park, London, England, September 2019]

IMMATURE/JUVENILE

Distant lateral view of an immature(?) Common Shelduck (photo courtesy of H. Dahlem-Senger)
[Between Cala Mesquida and Cala Agulla, Mallorca, Spain, May 2023]

Lateral view of a juvenile Common Shelduck (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sapal de Alhos Vedros, Moita, Setubal, Portugal, July 2021]

Female Common Shelduck with a clutch of ducklings (photo courtesy of H. Dahlem-Senger)
[Parc Natural de s'Albufera de Mallorca, Mallorca, Spain, May 2023]

Food, Diet

Common Shelducks feeding in shallow water (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Salinas da Fuzeta, Olhao, Faro, Portugal, November 2021]

These pages are largely based on our own observations and those of our contributors. The structure of these bird pages is explained HERE. For more salient facts on any bird species please refer to a field guide.

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