Meller's Duck Anas melleri Scientific name definitions

63–68 cm; male 883–1240 g, female 831·5–1140 g (1 Young, H.G. (1991). Sexual dimorphism in Meller's Duck Anas melleri. Bull. Brit. Orn. Club. 111(4): 225-228. Close ). The only large Anas in Madagascar. Reminiscent of female <em>A. platyrhynchos</em> (largely allopatric) but larger and more elongated, with longer bill and head ; bill also greyer (2 Kear, J., Editor (2005). Ducks, Geese and Swans. Volume 1: General chapters, and Species accounts (Anhima to Salvadorina). Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. Close ); green speculum with narrow white trailing edge. Might also be confused with brown juvenile Sarkidiornis melanotos or even whistling-ducks (Dendrocygna). Sexes alike, but female slightly smaller  (with overlap in most measurements) (1 Young, H.G. (1991). Sexual dimorphism in Meller's Duck Anas melleri. Bull. Brit. Orn. Club. 111(4): 225-228. Close ) and a little duller; also appears shorter-billed (due to male having larger skull), has central tail feathers shorter and buff-tipped (usually longer, sometimes upturned and black-tipped in male) (1 Young, H.G. (1991). Sexual dimorphism in Meller's Duck Anas melleri. Bull. Brit. Orn. Club. 111(4): 225-228. Close ), and shorter feathers on flanks and crown than male (2 Kear, J., Editor (2005). Ducks, Geese and Swans. Volume 1: General chapters, and Species accounts (Anhima to Salvadorina). Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. Close ). Bare parts: bill blue-grey with black nail and black band at base (latter is lacking in female) (3 Safford, R. J., and A. F. A. Hawkins, Editors (2013). The Birds of Africa. Volume 8. The Malagasy Region. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ), legs and feet orange-brown (can be brighter orange in male, but differences not constant) (1 Young, H.G. (1991). Sexual dimorphism in Meller's Duck Anas melleri. Bull. Brit. Orn. Club. 111(4): 225-228. Close ), and irides dark brown (2 Kear, J., Editor (2005). Ducks, Geese and Swans. Volume 1: General chapters, and Species accounts (Anhima to Salvadorina). Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. Close ). Juvenile has more reddish feather fringes than adult (2 Kear, J., Editor (2005). Ducks, Geese and Swans. Volume 1: General chapters, and Species accounts (Anhima to Salvadorina). Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. Close ).

Introduced to Mauritius, but probably now extinct there.

E region and High Plateau of Madagascar.

Breeds on inland freshwater lakes , pools and marshes in swampy forest country, generally from sea-level to at least c. 2050 m (3 Safford, R. J., and A. F. A. Hawkins, Editors (2013). The Birds of Africa. Volume 8. The Malagasy Region. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ), mostly at 800–1500 m (3 Safford, R. J., and A. F. A. Hawkins, Editors (2013). The Birds of Africa. Volume 8. The Malagasy Region. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ); also in rivers and streams, even fast-flowing ones, but slow-moving watercourses probably preferred (2 Kear, J., Editor (2005). Ducks, Geese and Swans. Volume 1: General chapters, and Species accounts (Anhima to Salvadorina). Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. Close ); sometimes in rice fields.

Presumably sedentary; some records in NW of island where normally does not occur perhaps reflect post-breeding dispersal (2 Kear, J., Editor (2005). Ducks, Geese and Swans. Volume 1: General chapters, and Species accounts (Anhima to Salvadorina). Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. Close ), but not known to wander naturally outside Madagascar.

Not well known, but habits presumably not very different from those of A. platyrhynchos; seeds and other parts of aquatic plants (e.g. of water-lilies) (2 Kear, J., Editor (2005). Ducks, Geese and Swans. Volume 1: General chapters, and Species accounts (Anhima to Salvadorina). Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. Close ) recorded, also invertebrates (especially molluscs) (2 Kear, J., Editor (2005). Ducks, Geese and Swans. Volume 1: General chapters, and Species accounts (Anhima to Salvadorina). Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. Close ); has been seen in rice fields and presumably feeds on stubble. Captive birds have been recorded eating fish, emerging aquatic chironomid flies, filamentous algae and grass (2 Kear, J., Editor (2005). Ducks, Geese and Swans. Volume 1: General chapters, and Species accounts (Anhima to Salvadorina). Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. Close ). Forages mainly by dabbling in mud or by upending, though sometimes forages on shore (2 Kear, J., Editor (2005). Ducks, Geese and Swans. Volume 1: General chapters, and Species accounts (Anhima to Salvadorina). Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. Close ). Some individuals are adept at diving, and will chase aquatic insects across surface of water (3 Safford, R. J., and A. F. A. Hawkins, Editors (2013). The Birds of Africa. Volume 8. The Malagasy Region. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ). Sometimes gathers in large flocks, both to roost (up to 260), and to feed (up to 160), occasionally with other species, e.g. Glossy Ibis (Plegadis falcinellus) (2 Kear, J., Editor (2005). Ducks, Geese and Swans. Volume 1: General chapters, and Species accounts (Anhima to Salvadorina). Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. Close ). Generally feeds by day, but also nocturnally (2 Kear, J., Editor (2005). Ducks, Geese and Swans. Volume 1: General chapters, and Species accounts (Anhima to Salvadorina). Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. Close ).

Typical calls  of A. platyrhynchos complex, although female has higher-pitched “quack” note than A. platyrhynchos (lasting c. 1 second and repeated every 2–3 seconds) (3 Safford, R. J., and A. F. A. Hawkins, Editors (2013). The Birds of Africa. Volume 8. The Malagasy Region. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ) and nasal “raeb” call of male (which also usually lasts c. 1 second and is repeated every 2–5 seconds) (3 Safford, R. J., and A. F. A. Hawkins, Editors (2013). The Birds of Africa. Volume 8. The Malagasy Region. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ) has three notes (2 Kear, J., Editor (2005). Ducks, Geese and Swans. Volume 1: General chapters, and Species accounts (Anhima to Salvadorina). Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. Close ).

Extended season, overall nesting has been recorded Jul–Apr (2 Kear, J., Editor (2005). Ducks, Geese and Swans. Volume 1: General chapters, and Species accounts (Anhima to Salvadorina). Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. Close ), probably determined by local rainfall (2 Kear, J., Editor (2005). Ducks, Geese and Swans. Volume 1: General chapters, and Species accounts (Anhima to Salvadorina). Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. Close ), e.g. Nov–Jan at L Alaotra (5 Young, H.G. (1996). Meller’s Duck, Africa’s forgotten Mallard. Bull. African Bird Club. 3(2): 87-89. Close ). Fundamentally monogamous and highly territorial (territories up to 2 km in length), with pairs remaining together throughout incubation period, but in wild no observations of males with broods (2 Kear, J., Editor (2005). Ducks, Geese and Swans. Volume 1: General chapters, and Species accounts (Anhima to Salvadorina). Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. Close ). In single pairs or loose groups; nest (in captivity) (2 Kear, J., Editor (2005). Ducks, Geese and Swans. Volume 1: General chapters, and Species accounts (Anhima to Salvadorina). Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. Close ) is bulky structure of dry grass, leaves and other vegetation, lined with down and fine plant matter, situated on or near ground (2 Kear, J., Editor (2005). Ducks, Geese and Swans. Volume 1: General chapters, and Species accounts (Anhima to Salvadorina). Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. Close ), usually on banks among tufts of herbaceous vegetation; all material collected by female (3 Safford, R. J., and A. F. A. Hawkins, Editors (2013). The Birds of Africa. Volume 8. The Malagasy Region. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ). Clutch 5–11 dull white or cream-coloured eggs (2 Kear, J., Editor (2005). Ducks, Geese and Swans. Volume 1: General chapters, and Species accounts (Anhima to Salvadorina). Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. Close ), size 48·2–64·4 mm × 30·8–44 mm, mass 40–66·9 g (3 Safford, R. J., and A. F. A. Hawkins, Editors (2013). The Birds of Africa. Volume 8. The Malagasy Region. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ); incubation 28–29 days by female (2 Kear, J., Editor (2005). Ducks, Geese and Swans. Volume 1: General chapters, and Species accounts (Anhima to Salvadorina). Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. Close ) (captivity), although male remains close by; chicks  have greyish olive-brown down on upperparts, pale chestnut face and underparts, and yellowish dorsal patches; weight at hatching 23–42·3 g (2 Kear, J., Editor (2005). Ducks, Geese and Swans. Volume 1: General chapters, and Species accounts (Anhima to Salvadorina). Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. Close ); fledging c. 9–11 (2 Kear, J., Editor (2005). Ducks, Geese and Swans. Volume 1: General chapters, and Species accounts (Anhima to Salvadorina). Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. Close ) weeks; accompanied by female alone (3 Safford, R. J., and A. F. A. Hawkins, Editors (2013). The Birds of Africa. Volume 8. The Malagasy Region. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ). Sexual maturity at one year (2 Kear, J., Editor (2005). Ducks, Geese and Swans. Volume 1: General chapters, and Species accounts (Anhima to Salvadorina). Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. Close ). No data on breeding success in wild or adult survival/longevity (2 Kear, J., Editor (2005). Ducks, Geese and Swans. Volume 1: General chapters, and Species accounts (Anhima to Salvadorina). Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. Close ).

ENDANGERED. Listed as Near Threatened in mid 1990s (5 Young, H.G. (1996). Meller’s Duck, Africa’s forgotten Mallard. Bull. African Bird Club. 3(2): 87-89. Close ). BirdLife International currently estimates the declining population at 1300–3300 mature individuals, and probably no longer common anywhere, except perhaps in forested areas of NW and in wetlands around L Alaotra where some breed and many non-breeders collect. Apparently introduced to Mauritius (c. 1850 (2 Kear, J., Editor (2005). Ducks, Geese and Swans. Volume 1: General chapters, and Species accounts (Anhima to Salvadorina). Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. Close ), though details lacking) (5 Young, H.G. (1996). Meller’s Duck, Africa’s forgotten Mallard. Bull. African Bird Club. 3(2): 87-89. Close ), but overhunting threatens population; only c. 20 pairs thought to exist in late 1970s, and if survives at all now probably only through continued release of captive birds (2 Kear, J., Editor (2005). Ducks, Geese and Swans. Volume 1: General chapters, and Species accounts (Anhima to Salvadorina). Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. Close ); many recent sightings probably involve A. platyrhynchos, which was introduced in c. 1979 and already outnumbered A. melleri six years later (6 Safford, R.J. and Basque, R. (2007). Records of migrants and amendments to the status of exotics on Mauritius in 1989–93. Bull. Afr. Bird Club. 14(1): 26–35. Close ). Unsuccessfully introduced to Reunion (2 Kear, J., Editor (2005). Ducks, Geese and Swans. Volume 1: General chapters, and Species accounts (Anhima to Salvadorina). Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. Close ). In Madagascar, clear decline over past 20 years due to hunting and poaching. In 1989, count of 1480 birds visiting L Aloatra, where heavily hunted all year (up to 450 taken p.a.), and such pressure said to be same over much of island. Long-term deforestation of central plateau, conversion of marshes to rice paddies and degradation of water quality in rivers and streams, as a result of deforestation and soil erosion, have probably contributed to decline, while widespread exotic carnivorous fishes, notably Micropterus salmoides (although this may now be extinct) and Channa spp., may threaten young and cause desertion of otherwise suitable habitat. Recorded at Ambohitantely Special Reserve and Ranamafana National Park (5 Young, H.G. (1996). Meller’s Duck, Africa’s forgotten Mallard. Bull. African Bird Club. 3(2): 87-89. Close ), as well as at least five other protected areas , and known from 14 Important Bird Areas (78% of eastern Malagasy wetland IBAs). Small captive population seems to be thriving, with 230 birds having been reared at Jersey Zoo (Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust) from 13 wild-caught birds during 1994–2001 (2 Kear, J., Editor (2005). Ducks, Geese and Swans. Volume 1: General chapters, and Species accounts (Anhima to Salvadorina). Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. Close ).