Waterfowl

King Eider

This hardy, ornately plumaged sea duck breeds in remote areas of both the New and the Old World Arctic, spending only a few weeks (males) to several months (successfully breeding females) on land. 

Because of the remote habitats of the King Eider, information on this species was based on relatively few studies 

Habitat: New and the Old World Arctic
Conservation status:  Least concern
Order waiting time: aprox. 3 years
Price:  only for members

Spectacled Eider

This medium-sized sea duck occurs in northern latitudes along coastal Alaska and easternmost Russia, as well as in the Bering Sea. Although well known by people living in these sparsely populated regions, it is rarely seen outside its breeding and wintering ranges. Until recently, the locations of its primary molting and wintering areas were unknown. As a result of severely declining populations in western Alaska, and possible declining populations in easternmost Russia and northern Alaska, the Spectacled Eider was listed as Threatened under the U.S. Endangered Species Act in 1993.

Habitat: New and the Old World Arctic
Conservation status: Near Threatened
Order waiting time: aprox. 3 years
Price: only for members

Common Eider

This hardy eider, the largest duck in the Northern Hemisphere, is more closely tied to marine habitats than any other sea duck. It generally inhabits arctic and subarctic coastal marine habitats and has a circumpolar distribution.

Large diving duck; length 50.0–71.1 cm and mass 1,300–2,611 g.
Heavy-bodied duck with relatively short, stout neck and distinctive long triangular (wedge-shaped) bill and head profile.  

Habitat: Circumpolar distribution breeding in many areas of Northern Hemisphere.
Conservation status: Near Threatened
Order waiting time: aprox. 2 years
Price: only for members

Harlequin

This hardy eider, the largest duck in the Northern Hemisphere, is more closely tied to marine habitats than any other sea duck. It generally inhabits arctic and subarctic coastal marine habitats and has a circumpolar distribution.

Large diving duck; length 50.0–71.1 cm and mass 1,300–2,611 g.
Heavy-bodied duck with relatively short, stout neck and distinctive long triangular (wedge-shaped) bill and head profile.  

Habitat: Circumpolar distribution breeding in many areas of Northern Hemisphere.
Conservation status: Least concern
Order waiting time: aprox. 2 years
Price: only for members

Mandarin

Small exotic-looking duck found at lakes and parks, usually with nearby trees. Male very ornate with big orangey "sail fins" on the back, streaked orangey cheeks, and a small red bill with a whitish tip. Perches readily in trees over water.

Tiny size duck species; 41–51 cm; male 571–693 g, female 428–608 g 

Habitat: Native to East Asia
Conservation status: Least concern
Order waiting time: aprox. 1 years
Price: see pricelist

Wood duck (Caroline)

Breeding males are stunning with ornate, colorful patterns visible up close; appears dark overall at a distance. Females gray-brown with thin white eyering. Crest on head. Found in wetlands and flooded woods. Flies through trees with exceptional maneuverability, thanks to its long tail. Often shy and quick to flush. Call is a loud, screeching whistle.

Habitat: North America
Conservation status: Least concern
Order waiting time: aprox. 1 years
Price: see pricelist

Redcrested Pochard

A diving duck of larger lakes and reservoirs, especially with fringing reeds. Male striking and unmistakable with large, rounded, rusty-orange head, long red bill, and black breast. Female rather drab but distinctive: dirty buff overall with pale cheeks, dark face, and rounded brown cap. In flight, both sexes show a thick white wing stripe and whitish underwings. Feeds mainly by dabbling and upending. A common feature of waterfowl collections in European town and city parks.

Habitat: the Black Sea, the Caspian Sea, Turkic Republics to western Mongolia and northwestern China.
Conservation status: Least concern
Order waiting time: aprox. 1 years
Price: see pricelist

Rudy Shelduck

Striking and distinctive gooselike duck. Plumage bright ruddy overall with contrasting pale creamy head and neck; male has narrow black neck ring. Big white forewing patches striking in flight. Breeds in southeastern Europe and Central Asia, winters in South Asia. Often found around saline lakes; also reservoirs and agricultural fields. Escapees from waterfowl collections occasionally seen free-flying outside of native range.

Habitat: Asia, the Middle East, Europe, northwest Africa, and Ethiopia
Conservation status: Least concern
Order waiting time: aprox. 1 years
Price: see pricelist

Common Shelduck

Distinctive, large, rather gooselike duck of coastal wetlands, tidal mudflats, and nearby grassy fields. Striking plumage often looks simply black-and-white; at close range, head is deep glossy green, broad breast band dark rusty. Male has raised knob at base of red bill; juvenile duller overall, with whitish face and eyering. Less numerous and more local inland at lakes and along rivers. Often seen walking and grazing, at times in flocks.

Habitat: Coastal NW Europe, Mediterranean sites, through Turkic States to NE China
Conservation status: Least concern
Order waiting time: aprox. 1 years
Price: see pricelist

White faced Whistling Duck

Striking duck with black-and-white head, rufous breast, and barred flanks. Like all whistling-ducks, long neck and legs give it a gooselike appearance. Found in freshwater marshes, lakes, and rice fields. Usually in flocks, sometimes numbering in the hundreds. Quite widespread in South America and Africa. Feeds at night.

Habitat: Costa Rica to northern Argentina and Uruguay, Central and South Africa
Conservation status: Least concern
Order waiting time: aprox. 1 years
Price: see pricelist

Paradise Shelduck

Large, colorful duck, endemic to New Zealand. Sexes told apart by head color; male has a black head with slight green iridescence, female has a white head and upper neck.

Distinguishable from vagrant Australian Shelducks by absence of white neck ring, chestnut or buff breast, and black undertail. 

63–71 cm; male 1420–1980 g, female 1059–1700 g  

Habitat: Endemic New Zealand
Conservation status: Least concern
Order waiting time: aprox. 1 years
Price: see pricelist

Eurasian Teal 

Breeding males are beautiful and distinctive with rich reddish-brown head, buffy forehead, pearly gray body, and pinkish breast. Look for large white wing patches in flight. Females are plainer warm brown overall, with a small pale bill.

Habitat: Iceland  across N Europe and N Asia to Pacific coast
Conservation status: Least concern
Order waiting time: aprox. 1 years
Price: see pricelist

Falcated Duck

An East Asian teal-like duck. Males are distinctive, with an iridescent head that flashes green and copper, a silvery body with distinct scalloping, extremely long curved tertials, long pale scapulars, and a triangular white throat patch outlined in dark green. Brownish females resemble female Gadwall but have a dark bill. Breeds in northern interior marshes and winters on rivers, lakes, and coastal wetlands, often in flocks with other ducks.

Habitat: SE Siberia, Mongolia and N China, Winters Japan, Korea, Myanmar, Vietnam
Conservation status: Near Threatened
Order waiting time: aprox. 1 years
Price: see pricelist

Garganey

Small and often rather unobtrusive duck of wetlands with reedy and other fringing vegetation. Handsome male distinctive, with big white eyebrow on dark brown head, pale gray flanks; pale gray forewing striking in flight.

Breeds widely across Eurasia; winters in Africa and southern Asia. Migrants can be on more open water, even tidal mudflats. Associates readily with other ducks; feeds mainly by dabbling. 

Habitat: Palearctic, mostly between 42° N and 65° N. Winters in Africa, India and SE Asia E to New Guinea.
Conservation status: Least Concern
Order waiting time: aprox. 1 years
Price: see pricelist

Common Pochard

Mid-sized diving duck. Male distinctive, with dark rusty head, pale gray body contrasting with black breast, and broad pale bluish band on bill.
Inhabits marshy and reed-fringed lakes to open reservoirs; locally on the sea in winter, especially when lakes freeze.

Habitat: Breeds in W Europe E through Turkic States, SC Siberia and N China. Winters S to N & E Africa, India and S & E Asia
Conservation status: Vulnerable
Order waiting time: aprox. 1 years
Price: see pricelist

Wandering Whistling Duck

Medium-sized dark whistling-duck with cream-colored flank plumes. Unlike Plumed Whistling-Duck, these plumes do not stick out and appear painted on the flanks. Often in smaller flocks around lakes, ponds, and dams. As the name suggests, note whistling call.

Habitat: S New Guinea lowlands and N and E Australia. 
Conservation status: Least Concern
Order waiting time: aprox. 1 years
Price: see pricelist

Ringed Teal

Small distinctive duck. Males have a pinkish breast that is spotted in black with a rich chestnut wing and a metallic green patch on the flight feathers. Note the blue bill. Females have a striking brown-and-white face pattern, and are mostly brown above and mottled or banded brown below. In flight shows dark wings with white-and-green bands. Occurs in marshes and swamps with abundant vegetation; can be even seen perched on fences or low trees.

Habitat: C & SE Bolivia and Paraguay S to N Argentina (N Buenos Aires), and E to W & E Uruguay and S Brazil
Conservation status: Least Concern
Order waiting time: aprox. 1 years
Price: see pricelist

Northern Pintail

Small distinctive duck. Males have a pinkish breast that is spotted in black with a rich chestnut wing and a metallic green patch on the flight feathers. Note the blue bill. Females have a striking brown-and-white face pattern, and are mostly brown above and mottled or banded brown below. In flight shows dark wings with white-and-green bands. Occurs in marshes and swamps with abundant vegetation; can be even seen perched on fences or low trees.

Habitat: Northern hemisphere
Conservation status: Least Concern
Order waiting time: aprox. 1 years
Price: see pricelist

Ferruginous Duck

Rich rusty brown overall with contrasting white triangular patch under tail; male has pale eye. Also note peaked crown and rather long gray bill. In flight, both sexes show bold white wing stripe. Compare with female Tufted Duck (can have similar white patch under tail). Inhabits lakes and marshes, usually with surrounding reeds. Rather shy and often stays hidden in reeds

Habitat: from C & S Europe and N Africa E to W Mongolia. Wintering range overlaps with breeding range, and extends also to Sahel, the Middle East and SE Asia.
Conservation status: Near Threatened
Order waiting time: aprox. 1 years
Price: see pricelist

Common Scoter

Rich rusty brown overall with contrasting white triangular patch under tail; male has pale eye. Also note peaked crown and rather long gray bill. In flight, both sexes show bold white wing stripe. Compare with female Tufted Duck (can have similar white patch under tail). Inhabits lakes and marshes, usually with surrounding reeds. Rather shy and often stays hidden in reeds

Habitat: Greenland, Iceland, E across Scandinavia and N Russia to R Olenek, Siberia
Conservation status: Least Concern
Order waiting time: aprox. 3 years
Price: see pricelist

Smew

enerally uncommon and fairly local small diving duck. Frequents lakes, reservoirs, and rivers. Shy, often found alone or in small groups; frequently kept in European waterfowl collections. Both sexes have bushy crest. Striking male mostly white with black face mask. 

Female has dark rusty brown head with big white throat and cheek patch. In flight appears strikingly black-and-white.

Habitat: Europe
Conservation status: Least Concern
Order waiting time: aprox. 1 years
Price: see pricelist