Philippine Duck (Anas luzonica)

Philippine Duck

[order] ANSERIFORMES | [family] Anatidae | [latin] Anas luzonica | [authority] Fraser, 1839 | [UK] Philippine Duck | [FR] Canard de Philippines | [DE] Philippinenente | [ES] anade Filipino | [NL] Filippijnse Eend

Subspecies

Genus Species subspecies Region Range
Anas luzonica OR Philippines

Genus

Anas is a genus of dabbling ducks. It includes mallards, wigeons, teals, pintails and shovelers in a number of subgenera. Some authorities prefer to elevate the subgenera to genus rank.[1] Indeed, as the moa-nalos are very close to this clade and may have evolved later than some of these lineages, it is rather the absence of a thorough review than lack of necessity that this genus is rather over-lumped. The phylogeny of this genus is one of the most confounded ones of all living birds. Research is hampered by the fact the radiation of the two major groups of Anas ? the teals and mallard groups ? took place in a very short time and fairly recently, roughly in the mid-late Pleistocene. Furthermore, hybridization may have long played a major role in Anas evolution, with within-subgenus hybrids regularly and between-subgenus hybrids not infrequently being fully fertile.[1] The relationships between species are much obscured by this fact, and mtDNA sequence data is of dubious value in resolving their relationships; on the other hand, nuclear DNA sequences evolve too slowly to resolve the phylogeny of the subgenus Anas for example. Some major clades can be discerned. For example, that the traditional subgenus Anas, the mallard group, forms a monophyletic (in the loose sense, i.e. non-holophyletic) group has never been seriously questioned by modern science and is as good as confirmed (but see below). On the other hand, the phylogeny of the teals is very confusing. For these reasons, the dabbling duck lineages more distantly related to mallard group (which includes the type species of Anas) than the wigeons should arguably be separated in their own genera. These would include the Baikal Teal, the Garganey, the spotted black-capped Punanetta group, and the shovelers and other blue-winged species. Whether the wigeons, which are very distinct in morphology and behavior, but much less so in mtDNA cytochrome b and NADH dehydrogenase subunit 2 sequences, should also be considered a distinct genus Mareca (including the Gadwall and Falcated Duck) is essentially the one remaining point of dispute as regards the question which taxa should remain in this genus and which ones should not.

Physical charateristics

Distinctive, large, dabbling duck. All plumages alike. Blackish crown, nape and eye-stripe. Rusty-cinnamon rest of head and neck. Otherwise greyish-brown with bright green speculum, bordered with black with narrow white trailing edge. Bluish-grey bill, grey-brown legs.

Listen to the sound of Philippine Duck

[audio:http://www.planetofbirds.com/MASTER/ANSERIFORMES/Anatidae/sounds/Philippine Duck.mp3]

Copyright remark: Most sounds derived from xeno-canto

recorded by David Edwards


wingspan min.: 0 cm wingspan max.: 0 cm
size min.: 48 cm size max.: 48 cm
incubation min.: 25 days incubation max.: 26 days
fledging min.: 55 days fledging max.: 60 days
broods: 1   eggs min.: 8  
      eggs max.: 14  

Range

Oriental Region : Philippines. Anas luzonica is endemic to the Philippines, being recorded from all the major islands and eight smaller islands. Records since 1980 derive from c.30 localities, most on Luzon and Mindanao.

Habitat

It frequents most freshwater and saltwater habitats, including mangroves, open sea and watercourses inside forest.

Reproduction

It breeds in freshwater wetlands but also occurs in coastal habitats, however a nest in the wild has not yet been studied. In captivity these ducks build a nest on the ground in amongst vegation. The usual clutch is 10 (8-14) eggs which are incubated for about 25-26 days. The young fledge after other 2 months.

Feeding habits

It feeds on fish, shrimps, insects, rice and young vegetation.

Video Philippine Duck

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tiSEfgHlpIU

copyright: Joe Angseesing


Conservation

This duck is listed as Vulnerable because it has a small population which is undergoing a rapid and continuing decline owing to extensive over-hunting and widespread conversion of its wetland habitats.
A steep population decline was evident by the mid-1970s, with high numbers recorded at only a few sites in the following decade. Subsequent local extinctions and near-disappearances have occurred in several significant sites, owing to exceptionally high levels of hunting and trapping, conversion of natural wetlands, mangrove destruction and the recent extensive use of pesticides on rice-fields. This species’s population is suspected to be undergoing a rapid and continuing decline in line with these impacts.
Philippine Duck status Vulnerable

Migration

It appears to be sedentary although some seasonal aggregation occurs.

Distribution map

Philippine Duck distribution range map

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