| Masked Duck (Nomonyx dominicus) (aka Oxyura dominica) Brazilian name: marreca-de-bico-roxo |
||||
 |
Brazil The Masked Duck is distributed from Mexico and the West Indies into South America as far south as north-east Argentina. Although widespread this duck is not often seen because of its skulking habits. It is found in lakes, pools and marshes with lots of vegetation around and on the water. |
|||
 |
It is the smallest of the "Stifftails". The male, seen in photo 2, has a sky blue bill like many of the family but has a large black "nail" at the tip. His black mask contrasts with the chestnut nape. The female, seen in photo 3, has two dark bands across the face. | |||
 |
The third bird in photo 4 might be a young male but males also have an eclipse plumage so it might be a male coming out of eclipse. Photo 5 shows what I take to be a family group with a male, a female, two immature males and one immature female. Photo 6 is of Masked Duck in flight showing the conspicuous white patch on the wings. | |||
 |
There is a recording of a call on xeno-canto. | |||
 |
||||
 |
||||
|