Paradise Shelducks, Hokowhitu Lagoon, Palmerston North, New Zealand (50420595503)

Description:

Description: This pair of Paradise Shelducks occasionally visit Hokowhitu Lagoon but always seem to be on the other side of the Lagoon when I'm there. This is when you wish you had a longer lens! Anyway, I thought I would post this very tight crop as it's the best I've been able to get so far and I love the colours. The Paradise Shelduck is native to New Zealand. It is a conspicuous and colourful species with contrasting male and female plumages. Between a large duck and a small goose in size, the male is uniformly dark grey or black while the female body is a dark or light chestnut (depending on age and state of moult). The male’s head is black with occasional green iridescence and the female’s head and upper neck is white. It is the second-most abundant waterfowl in New Zealand (after mallard). Its numbers are still increasing despite being a gamebird. (nzbirdsonline.org.nz/species/paradise-shelduck). Date: 2 October 2020, 07:19. Source: A beautiful pair of Paradise ducks. Author: Geoff McKay from Palmerston North, New Zealand.