Philippine Duck
Anas luzonica
The Philippine Duck (Anas luzonica) is a legendary ducks, swans, and geese found in 2 countries, weighing about 832 g. The Philippine duck is a large dabbling duck of the genus Anas.
About the Philippine Duck
The Philippine duck is a large dabbling duck of the genus Anas. Its native name is papan or patong gubat which translates to "forest duck" in Tagalog. It is the only endemic duck in the Philippines but has been recorded as a vagrant in Taiwan and Japan. Its habitat in a wide variety of wetlands from mountain lakes, marshes, small pools, streams, rivers, salt pans and even coastal waters where it feeds on shrimp, fish, insects and plant matter. This species has declined considerably since the 1960s because of hunting and habitat loss and is now listed as a Vulnerable species.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
The Philippine duck is a large conspicuous duck. It has a black crown, nape and eye stripe, with a cinnamon head and neck. The rest of its body is greyish brown with a bright green speculum. Its legs are greyish brown, and its bill is bluish-grey. Male body mass averages 891 grams (1.964 lb), and the slightly smaller female averages 777 grams (1.713 lb).
Where it lives
Recorded as a rare visitor in Taiwan.
When to see it
Best months: January, February, April, May, June, November, December, with peak activity in January. It is a variable species across most of its range.
Easily confused with
Quick questions
- How do you identify a Philippine Duck?
- The Philippine duck is a large conspicuous duck. Full identification notes are on this page.
- How big is a Philippine Duck?
- The Philippine Duck is a large sized bird weighing about 832 g.
- Where can you see a Philippine Duck?
- The Philippine Duck occurs in 2 countries, including the Philippines.
- What birds look similar to a Philippine Duck?
- The Philippine Duck is most easily confused with the Laysan Duck, the Bernier's Teal and the Campbell Teal.
- Is the Philippine Duck endangered?
- The Philippine Duck is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
Learn the Philippine Duck for real
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