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Shelduck Tadorna tadorna [Linnaeus, 1758]
Other Names
Trends & Distribution
Breeding & Survival
Biometrics
Books & Links
Order:
Anseriformes
Family:
Anatidae
BTO Codes:
SU , SHELD
EURING No:
1730
Number in Britain:
11 thousand pairs (Summer)
Conservation Status:
UK:
AMBER
European:
Not a species of concern
Global:
Least Concern
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Status in UK:
(A) Migrant/Resident Breeder, Winter Visitor
Subspecies:
Monotypic
.
Length:
62 cm
Wingspan:
112 cm
Weight:
M: 1.2 kg F: 1000
Scientific name from:
Fr.: tadorne =shelduck
World Distribution:
BREEDS: Europe, n&c Asia, WINTERS south to n Africa, s China & Japan
Habitat:
Coasts, estuaries & lakes
Diet:
Mostly invertebrates, esp. insects, molluscs and crustaceans
TitBit:
Shelduck were persecuted in the 19th Century in sandy areas like Breckland, because they competed with rabbits for burrows to nest in
Population and Distribution
Population Trend:
Regional Trends:
Distribution:
New Atlas )
British Population Size:
Summer:
11 thousand pairs
in 1988-91
Winter:
78 thousand individuals
in 1994-99
First Record:
15th Century
[Fossil evidence from
Wolstonian (penultimate) glaciation, c. 150,000 yr ago]
Habitat Occupancy (in the Breeding Season):
Most frequent in:
Estuaries
Relative Frequency in Each Habitat:
European Population Size:
Summer:
35 to 56 thousand pairs
Birds in Europe
Listed on the Appendices/Schedules of:
Bern(III), Bonn(II), AEWA
Survey Results:
Breeding and Survival
Egg Size:
66 x 47 mm
Egg Weight:
78.0 g (of which 9 % is shell)
Number of Nest Records:
8
Clutch Size:
8 - 10 eggs
Incubation:
29 - 31 days
by the:
Female
Fledging:
45 - 50 days
as:
Precocial, downy
First Clutches Laid:
Unavailable
Number of Broods:
1
Trends in Breeding Productivity
Number Ringed:
216
Adult Survival:
0.8
Juvenile Survival:
No data
Age at First Breeding:
2
years
Typical Lifespan:
6
years
Maximum Recorded Age:
24yr8m
Biometrics
Ring Size:
G*
Wing Length
Sexually dimorphic (male much larger than female)
Male:
335.2 ± 12.0
316 - 350 mm, N =526
Female:
311.9 ± 14.0
291 - 338 mm, N =193
Weight
Sexually dimorphic (male much larger than female)
Male:
1.31 ± 0.15
1.05 - 1.56 kg , N =437
Female:
1.08 ± 0.17 .
0.85 - 1.40 kg , N =153
Source:
British Trust for Ornithology (2005) Ringing Scheme data
Other Names
Common Shelduck
Gaelic:
Cràdh-ghèadh
Welsh:
Hwyaden yr Eithin
Danish:
Gravand
Dutch:
Bergeend
Finnish:
Ristisorsa
French:
Tadorne de Belon
German:
Brandgans
Hungarian:
Bütykös ásólúd
Icelandic:
Brandönd
Irish:
Seil-lacha
Italian:
Volpoca
Norwegian:
Gravand
Polish:
Ohar
Portuguese:
Pato-branco
Spanish:
Tarro blanco
Swedish:
Gravand
Collective Noun: Dopping
For More Information...
Books and Monographs:
Patterson, I.J. 1982 The shelduck : a study in behavioural ecology Cambridge University Press, Cambridge
[598.482 PAT]
Kear, J 2005 Ducks, geese and swans Oxford University Press
[598.48 KEA]
See Also:
BirdFacts home | BTO Home birdfacts@bto.org These data should be cited as:
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