Common shelduck

This duck is a member of the Anatidae family. Like other species of the Tadorne genus, they bear an uncanny resemblance to geese.

Males and females have slight differences. The male has a greenish-black head and a red beak with a similarly colored protrusion, an important visual sexual characteristic during courtship.

The female is almost as colorful as the male (a feature made possible by her brooding under cover, in burrows) and has no hump on her beak, which is often more marked with black. Adults have pink legs.

The Shelduck is widespread in Scandinavia, the British Isles, Tunisia and even eastern China. There are permanent breeding grounds in the Caucasus.

In France, it can be found in Picardy, Normandy and Brittany, in Charente-Maritime as well as in Languedoc Roussillon and the Camargue.

The shelduck’s diet consists mainly of gastropods, but also includes other prey such as crustaceans and worms.

This species is protected by the decree of 17/04/81.