🐦

Black-headed Duck

Heteronetta atricapilla

Least Concern
طول الجناح
34,7 cm
الوزن
528,5 g
الفصيلة
Anatidae
الرتبة
Anseriformes
On this page

حول

A small diving duck (~530 g) of South America, family Anatidae, and the sole member of genus Heteronetta. Inhabits freshwater marshes and lakes in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, and Uruguay. Unique among waterfowl as an obligate brood parasite, laying eggs in nests of coots and other waterbirds. Feeds on seeds and aquatic invertebrates. Least Concern.

Physical Description

Measurement Value Imperial
طول الجناح 34,7 cm 13.7 in
الوزن 528,5 g 18.64 oz

التعرف

الريش

Male has distinctive jet-black head and neck, warm chestnut-brown back, and pale buff underparts; blue-grey bill with red base. Female is streaked brown above with pale supercilium and whitish underparts.

Habitat & Range

النطاق الجغرافي

Resident in southern South America from southern Brazil and Bolivia south to Argentina and Chile. Found on lakes and marshes in open lowlands.

Diet & Feeding

Parasitic; adults may feed on aquatic plants, seeds, and invertebrates in South American marshes. Diet not well documented.

حالة الحفاظ

Least Concern
IUCN Red List

السلوك والتكاثر

التعشيش

Incubation: 24-25 days.

عدد البيض في الوضع

2

الصوت

الغناء

Male gives a soft, raspy peeping note; female produces a muted quack. An obligate brood parasite with reduced vocalizations; subdued calls suit its secretive lifestyle among Argentine reeds.

التصنيف

Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Chordata
Class Aves
الرتبة Anseriformes (Waterfowl)
الفصيلة Anatidae (Ducks, Geese & Swans)
Genus Heteronetta
الأنواع Heteronetta atricapilla

Distribution

Black-headed Duck has been recorded in 5 countries.

{# Distribution Map — simplified SVG world map with highlighted countries. Expects `country_codes` variable: list of ISO alpha-2 codes (e.g. ["US", "CA", "MX"]). Uses Alpine.js to toggle classes on country paths. #}
موجود Not recorded
{# Simplified country/region shapes — major landmasses with ISO alpha-2 data attributes. These are simplified polygon representations for visual distribution display. #}

countries highlighted

External Databases

الأسئلة الشائعة

What does the Black-headed Duck eat?
Parasitic; adults may feed on aquatic plants, seeds, and invertebrates in South American marshes. Diet not well documented.
Where does the Black-headed Duck live?
Resident in southern South America from southern Brazil and Bolivia south to Argentina and Chile. Found on lakes and marshes in open lowlands.
Is the Black-headed Duck endangered?
The Black-headed Duck has a conservation status of Least Concern.
How does the Black-headed Duck nest?
Incubation: 24-25 days.
What does the Black-headed Duck sound like?
Male gives a soft, raspy peeping note; female produces a muted quack. An obligate brood parasite with reduced vocalizations; subdued calls suit its secretive lifestyle among Argentine reeds.
How big is the Black-headed Duck?
The Black-headed Duck has a wingspan of 34.7 cm, weight of 528.5 g.
What order and family does the Black-headed Duck belong to?
The Black-headed Duck (Heteronetta atricapilla) belongs to the order Anseriformes and the family Anatidae.

Similar Birds

Other species in the Anatidae family

مقارنة

Explore More

Explore the Nature FYI Family