Tadorna radjah
Both the male and female Radjah Shelducks are similar in their black and white coloring. Their heads, necks and under parts are white. Their wings and a prominent band across their breast are black. The Radjah ducks secondary feathers are metallic green in color with white tips. Their legs, feet and bill are light pink. These shelducks have a body length of 51 to 61 cm. The wingspan is approximately twice the body length. The juveniles of this species are similar to the adults, but the white plumage is duller in color with a brown tinge on the crown and neck. Their legs, bill, and feet are whitish in color. Their iris is dark brown. The Radjah chicks have black markings and a chestnut brown cap, which stretches to the eyes. There are a pair of very distinct white spots on the inside of the wings, each side of the upper back and one on each side of the lower back. These markings are only in the chick stage and they will grow out of it when they reach the juvenile stage.
Not Threatened.
Both the male and female Radjah Shelducks are similar in their black and white coloring. Their heads, necks and under parts are white. Their wings and a prominent band across their breast are black. The Radjah ducks secondary feathers are metallic green in color with white tips. Their legs, feet and bill are light pink. These shelducks have a body length of 51 to 61 cm. The wingspan is approximately twice the body length. The juveniles of this species are similar to the adults, but the white plumage is duller in color with a brown tinge on the crown and neck. Their legs, bill, and feet are whitish in color. Their iris is dark brown. The Radjah chicks have black markings and a chestnut brown cap, which stretches to the eyes. There are a pair of very distinct white spots on the inside of the wings, each side of the upper back and one on each side of the lower back. These markings are only in the chick stage and they will grow out of it when they reach the juvenile stage.
51-61 cm
Taxonomy:
- Anas radjah Garnot Lesson, 1828, Buru. Sometimes placed in monospecific genus Radjah. Hybridization recorded in captivity with T. ferruginea and T. tadorna, producing fertile progeny. Two subspecies recognized. (source: Handbook of the Birds of World)
Subspecies and Distribution:
- * radjah (Lesson, 1828) - Moluccas to New Guinea. *rufitergum Hartert, 1905 - coastal N Australia.
They inhabit the coastal marshes, lagoons and swamps. They prefer large areas of shallow brackish or saline water.
Their diet primarily consists of molluscs, insects, sedge materials and algae.
Pairs start searching for nesting sites during the months of January and February. The nests are typically near the water. They nest in the hollow limbs of trees. They dont use nesting materials except for some down feathers. The egg-laying is usually done by May or June, but it depends on the extent of the rainy season. The clutches range from 6 to 12 eggs. Incubation time is about 30 days. There are three primary growth stages; chicks, juveniles, and adults. The chicks can be recognized by their black markings, brown cap and white spots. The juveniles are similar to the adults, but duller in color. The adults have white heads, necks and under parts. There is a prominent black band across their breast and their wings are black.
