Thai Ducks Main Page
Scientific Name : Cairina scutulata
General Characteristics : Has larger size than the feeding duck with the body length of approximately 76 centimeters. There is a white sheet around the wing top which can easily be seen both when it takes a rest and when it flies. The male’s duck has the lustrous body with black and reddish brown color which contrasts with the white color of the head and the neck. The eyes are orange yellow. The spur is orange with black freckle. In breeding season, the mouth edge of the male will inflate. The wing has blue stripe with thick black edge. The shin and the leg are orange yellow. The female’s duck has a smaller size.
Habitat / Food : Can be found in India, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Indochina, Melayu, Sumatra, Java, Thailand, Lao, Cambodia, and Veitnam.The White-winged Duck seeks for the food in the water source which is the plant seed, hayseed, paddy, and aquatic animal.
Behavior / Mating : Lives near the rill or the water source in the deep forest. It may be found alone, in pairs, or in a small troop. It starts seeking for the food in the nightfall and will go to the food area near glade of the river or the swamp. It will seek for the food for the whole night and fly back to its living place in the basin at dawn. In the daytime, it will cling and sleep on the big branch in the forest.There is no report of the nest building for laying the eggs of the White-winged Duck in the nature. But from the breeding in the feeding cage, it is found that the White-winged Duck breeds during the rainy season. It lays 9 to 10 eggs each time in the hollow of the tree. The eggs are white without any pattern and have the size of 45.6 X 64.3 millimeters. The incubation period is 31 to 35 days. The chick of the White-winged Duck has the fluffy hair covering the body. The leg and the finger are strong. It can walk after the hair dries.
Current Status : The White-winged Duck is a sedentary bird, can rarely be found, and has a very small number. It can be found in the North, the West, the Northeast, and the South. It is categorized as a protected wild animal according to Wild Animals Preservation and Protection Act B.E. 2535
Visiting Location : Dusit Zoo, Khao Kheow Open Zoo (Khao Kheow Open Zoo/Sri Racha), Chiang Mai Zoo