Common Shelduck
Tadorna tadorna
The Common Shelduck (Tadorna tadorna) is a common ducks, swans, and geese found in 96 countries, weighing about 1.1 kg. The common shelduck is a waterfowl species of the shelduck genus Tadorna.
About the Common Shelduck
The common shelduck is a waterfowl species of the shelduck genus Tadorna. It is widespread and common in the Palearctic, in Europe and northwest Africa mainly breeding on temperate coasts, saline pools and estuaries, and in Asia on inland salt lakes; increasingly it is also using open freshwater habitats inland. Wintering is in temperate to subtropical regions.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
The common shelduck resembles a small short-necked goose in size and shape. It is 55–65 cm long and with a wingspan of 100–120 cm, with a reddish-pink bill, pink feet, a white body with chestnut patches and a black belly, and a dark green head and neck. The wing coverts are white, the primary remiges black, and the secondaries black with a strong green iridescent reflection in good light (only showing in flight). The outer tertial feather is orange-brown, with the inner tertials white. The underwings are white, except for the flight feathers, which are black.
What the Common Shelduck sounds like
Where it lives
Recorded as a rare visitor in United States, Canada, Peru, Luxembourg, Mauritania, Martinique, Barbados, Afghanistan, Bahrain, Lebanon.
When to see it
Best months: January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, December, with peak activity in May. It is a variable species across most of its range.
Easily confused with
Quick questions
- How do you identify a Common Shelduck?
- The common shelduck resembles a small short-necked goose in size and shape. Full identification notes are on this page.
- How big is a Common Shelduck?
- The Common Shelduck is a large sized bird weighing about 1.1 kg.
- Where can you see a Common Shelduck?
- The Common Shelduck occurs in 96 countries, including Sweden, the United Kingdom, France, Norway and Belgium.
- What does a Common Shelduck sound like?
- You can listen to 3 field recordings of the Common Shelduck on this page, contributed to xeno-canto under open licences.
- What birds look similar to a Common Shelduck?
- The Common Shelduck is most easily confused with the Ruddy Shelduck, the Australian Shelduck and the Paradise Shelduck.
- Is the Common Shelduck endangered?
- The Common Shelduck is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
Learn the Common Shelduck for real
BeakBrain drills you on photos and calls until you can greet this bird by name in the field. Free to play, on any device.
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