Magnolia The Common Shelduck Bira a sea duck for the back yard Farm~:'h (Tadorna tadorna)

byJosefH. Undholm, III, LeadAviculturist Emerald Forest Bird Gardens Fallbrook, California

Of the world's waterfowl, those not usually go south for the winter. species liVing in northern oceans cap­ The continental population winter ture the imagination with their bold on North Sea mud flats. Only" peri­ or unusual colors and patterns, inter­ ods of severe frost" send them to esting shapes, and specialized natural Britain, or occasionally south to Por­ histories. For the most part, how­ tugal (Kolbe 1979). British birds ever, maritime ducks and geese have molting in Heligoland return to the traditionally been avicultural subjects British Isles and winter there (Dela­ We Buy Birds only for the advanced collector. cour 1954). Mediterranean birds do Eiders, Scoters, Harlequins, and the winter in north Africa and Egypt, We ShlP Birds Oldsquaw or Long-tailed Duck re­ while the Asian population migrates COMPLETE BIRD SUPPLIES quire specialized diets and care, and to northern India, Northern Vietnam, are mostly very difficult to come by. Myanmar, China, and Japan (Dela­ (714) 527-3387 Brant Geese, Canvasbacks, Golden­ cour 1954). Open 9 to 6 Closed Sun., Mon., Holidays eyes, and Buffle-head accept more The primary food of the Common 8990 Cerritos Ave. routine conditions and are commer­ Shelduck is mollusks. The northern Anaheim, Ca. 92804 cially available but are, in most cases, European and British birds subsist costly. There is one duck of the largely on the mud flat snail Hydro­ northern seas, readily available and bia (Johnsgard 1978). Fish, fish eggs, easy to manage, a bird ofmagnificent other invertebrates, and marine algae appearence; the Common Shelduck make up a smallerproportion oftheir (Fadorna tadorna). diet. The preferred nest site is a rab­ Our 10th year The Common Shelduck, also bit burrow (Kolbe 1979). Nests may of providing the known as the European or Northern otherwise occupy other holes in the Shelduck, breeds only along coast­ ground, hollow trees, or rarely finest in custom lines, inland seas or salt lakes (Dela­ between rocks or in heather. Breed­ cour-1954, Johnsgard 1978), with ing commences in the spring. designed aviaries only some migrating populations Jean Delacour (1954) writes that and bird cages. occurring in freshwater. Along the the Common Shelduck has "long coast of Europe, the breeding range been kept in captivity in Europe". Various Products include: extends from France to Norway, How long may be gathered from a • Assembled stackable cages including the southern Baltic shore, couple of illustrations in A History of • Large Indoor and Outdoor Aviaries east to Estonia (Johnsgard 1978). The DomesticatedAnimals, by Frederick • Stackable Breeding Units Mediterranean breeding range is Zuener (1963), Professor of Environ­ • Walk-in Flight Cages restricted to Spain, the famous mental Archaeology at the University Camargue ofFrance, Sardinia, Tunisia of London. On page 471, a beauti­ The versatile framing system, and the Balkan Coast (Delacour, fully detailed Common Shelduck and using 1" sq. molded nylon 1954, Johnsgard 1978). Common Common Teal (Anas c. crecca) connectors and 1" sq, aluminum Shelducks also breed on the northern appear in a Roman mosaic in the col­ or steel tubing, makes it simple shore ofthe Black Sea, and a separate lection of the National Museum at Asian population nests around the Naples. Although this pair is sitting for you to create your own Caspian Sea and the salt lakes of Cen­ on a table with shellfish and fish for custom-made aviary or bird cage. tral Asia, east to North China and dinner, they are obViously life stud­ Tibet (Delacour 1954). The northern ies. Professor Zuener mentions that European population is basically resi­ the Romans kept wild ducks in enclo­ [CCorners Umlted dent year around - migration occurs sures called Nessotrophia. While the 424 HARRISON STREET in July, just before the molt. Ninety Naples mosaic is not dated, the KALAMAZOO, MI 49007 percent of these western birds molt delightful one from Pompeii, on page at Great Knechtsand, in Heligoland 405, was obViously created before [ZJ FOR AFREE CATALOG CALL TODAY [..I ~ 1-800-456-6780 Bight, off Germany (Johnsgard 1978, that city was entombed by the errup­ Kolbe 1979). The North Sea birds do tion of Mount Vesuvius in 79 A.D.

56 December/ January 1992 time, was not afraid of being ings of the Orinoco Goose, the Chi­ emphatic and is notorious for his nese Spot-billed Duck, the Southern 1915 pronouncement on gorillas; Yellowbill, the Chestnut Teal, the "there is not the slightest reason to Chilean Teal, the Chiloe Wigeon, the hope that an adult gorilla, either male Tufted Duck and the American or female, ever will be seen living in a Golden-eye. (The deLaveaga U.S. first zoological park ... It is unfortunate breedings of the Magpie Goose, the that the ape ... never can be seen in Javan and White-faced Tree Ducks, adult state in zoological gardens; but the Ashy-headed and Ruddy-headed we may as well accept that fact ­ Geese and the Ring-necked Duck, are because we cannot do otherwise" noted to have occurred"by 1931"). (Crandall 1964). Sadly deLaveaga's 87 species of There seem to have been initial waterfowl were dispersed after 1932, problems in establishing this species following an unsuccessful attempt to in the Eastern U.S. It does not appear establish the' 'Whittier Ornithologi­ among the 29 Anatids included in the cal Academy" in southern California list of birds bred in the u.S. through (Patrick, 1932, Corsan 1932). December 1930, compiled by Cran­ Jean Delacour (1954) wrote that dall (1932). It had, in fact, been bred this bird is "perfectly hardy if pro­ by that time in San Mateo, California vided with a large range of land and at the aviaries ofJ.V. deLaveaga. At water, where they can find plenty of the time of Mr. deLaveaga's death in worms, insects, crustaceans, water 1931, his waterfowl collection was plants and other natural food" or ' 'a the second largest in the world, sur­ rich mash, or dog biscuit:' With passed only by Jean Delacour's col­ proper nutritional precautions, the lection at Cleres. I have found no pre­ Common Shelduck has become well cise date of Mr deLaveaga's breeding established in international avicul­ of the Common Shelduck. Greenwall ture. The usually meticulous Interna­ and Sturgeon (1988) note it took tional Zoo Yearbook in its most place by 1930, a date they also pro­ recent listings, for 1987, mentions vide for deLaveaga's u.S. first breed- only that 325 were hatched that year,

Male Common Shelduck atEmerald ForestBird Gardens.

This mosaic depicts a stylized, car­ toonlike, but quite identifiable Com­ mon Shelduck in the company of a similiarly pictured Garganey (Anas querquedula), a Mallard and an Egyptian Goose. In the foreground, a mongoose faces offwith a cobra, and a hippo confronts a crocodile - a jolly scene from mysterious Egypt! When the New York Zoological Park, more often called the Bronx Zoo, opened its gates November 8, 1899, with ceremonies in front ofthe Aquatic Bird House (one of the few exhibits then completed), a flock of Common Shelducks inside that build­ ing were there to greet the Zoo's first visitors. On page 94 of William Bridge's (1974) history of the New York Zoological Society, at least 11 specimens can be discerned among the inhabitants of the central cage. It appears-that these birds did not ulti­ mately do well. William Temple Hor­ naday (1927), the Bronx Zoo's first director, wrote this "remarkably col­ ored bird" was' 'unfortunately diffi­ cult to keep alive in this climate~' Dr. Hornaday, the Marlin Perkins of his

afa WATCHBIRD 57 in 50 collections, with only 33 failing beak-knob, so distinctive in the non­ to survive (Zoological Society of molting male. In July, both went London 1991). through their molt, retaining the LIVE On June 30, 1991, ISIS lists 23 U.S. elegant pattern of greenish-black, PET FOOD member institutions holding Com­ chestnut, white and metallic green mon Shelducks, with a total of 98 common to both sexes, but in a MEAL WORMS - CRICKETS birds. The largest groups are at St. decidedly scruffierversion. The beau­ Louis Zoo, with 20 (15 hatched there tiful red beaks faded in intensity and, FLY LARVAE-WAX WORMS in the previous year), the San Diego as noted above, the male's red knob, TOP QUALITY! Wild Animal Park, with 14 (five reminiscent of a Mute Swan's or hatched there) and the Fort Worth Rosey-billed Pochard's, substantially GUARANTEED Zoo, with 13. (International Species declined. As I write, in very early Information System 1991). October, both birds are again bril­ CALL OR WRITE II On breeder's lists, Common Shel­ liant, and the male is constantly ser­ FOR BROCHURE ...r=i. ducks are usually priced somewhat enading his mate with surprisingly ORDER TOLL FREE higher than many other popular sweet, short, descending whistles. 1-800-222-3563 ALL OTHER CALLS: 513-874-5881 lei" •• waterfowl - about three-times as In marked contrast to the often FAX 513-874-5878 much as Wood Ducks, and slightly complicated, gaudy patterns ofother more than twice the price ofMandar­ popular ornamental waterfowl, the ins, Red-crested and Rosey-billed beautifully simple pattern of the Pochards and Ringed Teal. A pair of Common Shelduck does have a

alBPO BOX 15001-HAMILTON. OH 45015 Common Shelducks can be obtained decidedly maritime effect, calling to KNOWN FOR QUALITY AND SERVICE' for about the same price as three mind the clean lines of a ship. Jean hand-raised cockatiels from a Delacour (1954) called this bird "a breeder. great ornament to any pond and gar­ AVlA.RY U ANIMAL PET SUPPLY The pair at Emerald Forest Bird Gar­ den." With a good protein source, Rt. 1 Boll 6)J'8 dens is a female that arrived in August such as soaked dogfood, they are eas­ Powderly, Tll~~_ of 1990 from Sea World of Texas, at ily maintained in small quarters. We San Antonio, and a male from Amer­ are fortunate that this stately bird ica's largest waterfowl collection, Syl­ from northern shores is established ~~ van Heights Waterfowl II, in North in aviculture. Carolina arriving in April, 1991. Our Three Types Automatic Watering Systems, one acre waterfowl lake and contigu­ References J·Clips, JClip Pliers, Flush Ground Cuttll1g ous fenced woods admirably meet Bridges, W., 1974. Gathering ofanimals - An Pl,ers, Pop Bottle Water Founts, Plashc & unconventional history ofthe New York Metal Feeders, Meidl Trays, Breeding & Jean Delacour's preViously noted & Flight Cages, Parrot Stands & Cups, standards. The lake is surrounded by Zoological Society. Harper Row. Incuhators, Ketch·All Mouse Traps, Electnc Corsan, G.H. 1932. My last visit with the all sorts ofnaturally occurring vegeta­ Southern Californian aviculturists. Avicul­ Foggers, Big Ben Dispenser, Kool Mist tion, and pond snails were much in Foggers, Medications, Vilamll1 & Mineral ture Series III, II, 243-246. Supplements, Books, Nylon Corner for 1" x evidence until the addition of water­ Crandall, L.S., 1932. List ofwild birds bred in 1" Steel Tuhll1g, Canary & FlI1ch Nests, fowl. Bullfrogs, treefrogs, and West­ captivity in the United States. Ibid. Series III, 11,18-21. Canthdxanthin for Red Cananes, Much More ern Toads fill the pond with eggs, and --., 1964. The management ofwild mam­ Send $1.00 for Illustrated Catalog eventual tadpoles, each season, and mals in captivity. University of Chicago #20 by First Class Mail. introductions ofMosquito Fish, Gold­ Press. fish, Long-eared Sunfish, and Crayfish Delacour, J.T., 1954. The waterfowl ofthe appear to have done well. The 23 world (Vol.!). Country Life, Ltd. Greenwall, G.A., & W.B. Sturgeon, 1988. OUR 41ST BIRDMART species of ducks, geese, and swans, First breedings ofwild waterfowlin North EVERYBODY'S the White-breasted Waterhen, the America. International Wild Waterfowl Asian Purple Gallinules, and the three Association. Chilean Flamingoes otherwise Hornaday, W.T., 1927. Official Guidebook receive standard all-purpose game­ to the New York Zoological Park (Com­ BIRD MART pletely Revised) (Quarter Century edition). bird pellets and commercial flamingo New York Zoological Society. Author's March 29, 1992 feed. note: I am most grateful to my father, Josef L.A. County Fairplex Bldg. #4 Though pairs of Common Shel­ Lindholm, Jr, for exhuming obscure items Pomona, California ducks have been known to be aggres­ from my library, left behind in Berkeley. International Species Information System, 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. sive, ours have never had any hostile 1991. ISIS BirdAbstract(June 30,1991). Admission: $3, Youths 5-15: $1 interraction with other birds, even Johnsgard, P.A., 1978. Ducks, Geese and the notoriously aggressive Paradise Swans ofthe World. University ofNebraska The Bird Mart has become the Press. marketplace for buyers andsellers. Shelducks, Cuban Tree Ducks and wild Moscovey Ducks. Since the Kolbe, H., 1979. Ornamental waterfowl. BIRDS -CAGES -FEEDERS -NESTBOXES Edition Leipzig. VITAMINS -SEED -PERCHES -GIFT ITEMS arrival ofthe male, the pair is usually Patrick, L., 1932. Whittier Ornithological a division of together. Our female, typically Academy. Aviculture Series III, II, 151-154. J. Williams Financial Services Inc. noticeably smaller than the male, Zoological Society ofLondon, 1991. Birds bred P.O. Box 1112, La Canada, CA 91011 lacks any of the white facial marks in captivity and multiple generation births in 1987. International Zoo Yearbook. (818) 790-7876 females often have. She does have a XXIX The Original, The #1 Bird Mart definitely smaller head, in proportion Zeuner, F.E., 1963. A history of domesti­ to her body, and of course, lacks the catedanimals. Harper & Row.• 58 December/ January 1992