ruddy shelduck the summer lakeside moscow suburbs russia

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Ruddy Shelduck on the summer lakeside, Moscow suburbs Russia. Royalty Free Stock Photo

Adult shelducks with fledged chicks on the summer lakeside, Moscow suburbs, Russia. Royalty Free Stock Photo

Ruddy Shelduck on the summer lakeside, Moscow suburbs Russia.

The ruddy shelduck or Tadorna ferruginea, known in India as the Brahminy duck, is a member of the family Anatidae. It is a distinctive waterfowl, 58 to 70 cm in length with a wingspan of 110 to 135 cm. It has orange-brown body plumage with a paler head, while the tail and the flight feathers in the wings are black, contrasting with the white wing-coverts. It has a loud honking call. The ruddy shelduck mostly inhabits inland water-bodies such as lakes, reservoirs and rivers. It is a migratory bird, wintering in the Indian subcontinent and breeding in southeastern Europe and central Asia, though there are small resident populations in North Africa. In central and eastern Asia, populations are steady or rising, but in Europe they are generally in decline.