Belongs to: birds

Shelduck Tadorna tadorna

Large goose-like duck, looking strikingly black and white

Habitat: estuaries, shorelines and freshwater marshes

Common and widespread resident

Head and neck bottle green with red bill, chestnut breastband, pink legs and black and white wings

Male has red knob on bill; female plain red; swims on water, dabbles or up-ends to feed

Eats crustaceans and molluscs; flight strong and powerful

Nest is a down-lined cup in burrow (such as a disused rabbit burrow) or hollow tree

1 brood May – June; 8-15 cream eggs