The pink-headed duck and crested shelduck are currently the world’s rarest ducks, if they survive at all – having gone decades without confirmed sightings. Among extant species, the Madagascar pochard and Brazilian merganser are exceptionally rare and endangered, but can still be found in the wild, with fewer than 50 and 250 mature individuals remaining, […]
The mute swan (Cygnus olor) is a large waterbird native to much of Europe and parts of western Asia, and has also been introduced to North America, southern Africa, and New Zealand. Despite its name, the mute swan is not truly silent but is less vocal than other swan species. It is among the heaviest […]
The Brazilian merganser (Mergus octosetaceus) is one of the world’s rarest diving ducks, currently classified as critically endangered. It inhabits isolated stretches of fast-flowing rivers in Brazil, with an extremely small and fragmented population.
Baer’s pochard (Aythya baeri) is a critically endangered, medium-sized diving duck that was once widespread across East and Southeast Asia. Due to extensive habitat destruction and overhunting, its population has plummeted over the past few decades, making it one of the rarest ducks in the world.
This species was not uncommon in the end of the 19th century and first half of the twentieth century. In 1960 it had already completely vanished, with some vague records during the following decades. Several major surveys have been conveyed but without any success. Then, in 1991, a single drake was captured alive. In 2006 […]
This species has not been seen in the wild, other than some unverified observations, since 1949. Already in the 19th century it was mentioned as rare. It is now considered at the brink of extinction or already extinct because of hunting and habitat loss. In the past decennium it has been much sought after, f.e. […]
In 1896 Rotschild wrote: This Duck was found by my collector on Laysan Island only. The captain who told Dr. Finsch that there was a flightless Duck on Laysan Island no doubt referred to this species, but on account of its extraordinary tameness he was led to believe that it could not fly. It flies, […]
This is more or less a fairy tale, but of a very complicated character. Various elements are combined in it. It begins as do many tales, with the fact that a couple had a child after many years: that child is a beautiful girl, who, left as an orphan, dresses up in a man’s clothes, […]
Once, long ago, Old Man was travelling north along a river. He carried a great pack on his back. After a time he came to a place where the river spread out and the water was quiet, and here many ducks were swimming about. Old Man did not look at the ducks, and kept travelling […]
Many years ago there was near the sea a convent famed for the rich crops of grain that grew on its farm. On a certain year a large flock of wild geese descended on its fields and devoured first the corn, and then the green blades. The superintendent of the farm hastened to the convent […]