New Zealand Scaup

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New Zealand Scaup
Male
Conservation status
Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Anseriformes
Family:	Anatidae
Genus:	Aythya
Species:	A. novaeseelandiae
Binomial name
Aythya novaeseelandiae (Gmelin, 1789)

The New Zealand Scaup (Aythya novaeseelandiae) commonly known as a Black teal, is a diving duck species of the genus Aythya. It is endemic to New Zealand. In Maori commonly known as papango, also matapouri, titiporangi, raipo ^[1].

Contents [hide] 1 Description 2 Feeding 3 Distribution 4 Life cycle 5 References

[edit] Description

Overall dark brown/black colours. The male has a striking yellow eye and a dark coloured (greenish) head. The female is similar to the male, but without the yellow eye and has a white face patch during breeding season. A white wing bar can be seen in both sexes when in flight ^[2].

[edit] Feeding

They are a diving duck and may stay down for twenty to thirty seconds and go down three metres to look for aquatic plants, small fish, water snails, mussels and insects ^[3][4]. It is sometimes seen with the Australian Coot (Fulica atra); it is thought that the Scaup takes advantage of the food stirred up by the Coots as they fossick for shrimps.^[4]

Female

[edit] Distribution

Found throughout both North and South islands of New Zealand in deep freshwater lakes and ponds ^[2]. Unlike other members of this genus this scaup is not migratory, although it does move to open water from high country lakes if they become frozen in winter.^[4]

[edit] Life cycle

They nest from October to March. They lay five to eight cream/white eggs in a nest close to water, often under banks or thick cover. The nest is usually lined with grass and down ^[2]. The eggs are incubated for four weeks by the female. The newly hatched duckling take to diving for food on their first outing.^[4]