Common shelduck

Latin Tadorna tadorna L.
Estonian Ristpart

Also known as: shelduck

Status in Estonia
Breeding, migratory, and a very rare wintering bird.

Description
The common shelduck is a goose-like duck of medium size with a long neck and distinctive plumage. The body is stout, the beak is strong and has a noticeable forehead hump, the legs are quite long. The plumage has extensive white areas, the head is dark green, the beak is red and there is a wide rust-brown stripe across the breast. The shoulder and flight feathers, the tip of the tail and the stripe down the middle of the belly are black. The legs of an adult bird are dull pink, whereas those of a juvenile bird are greyish. The male bird’s beak is bright red with a massive red knob, but the female bird’s beak is often duller red with a little beak knob.

Size
Body length 55–65 cm, wingspan 100–120 cm, body mass 800–1120 g.

Similar species
Geese.

Distribution
It is widespread in the coastal areas of Europe and on the banks of larger rivers and lakes. The majority of Europe’s population lives along the coasts of the North and Baltic seas as well as the Atlantic coasts of France, Ireland, and Great Britain. Along the Mediterranean Sea, populations are small; inland, along major rivers, the species breeds in only a few pairs. Another distribution area of the common shelduck is found in Southeast Europe along the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea, extending from there all the way to China. It is a fairly common species throughout Estonia’s coastline and islands.

Population
Estonia has 400–500 breeding pairs.

Occurrence in Estonia
The common shelduck is mostly a migratory bird, can only be seen in winter rarely. It arrives in Estonia in March and leaves at the end of September or the beginning of October.

Diet
It eats invertebrates that are fished from washed up seaweed or shallow water.

Habitat
Nests can be found on islands and beach meadows in juniper patches, caves beneath rocks, stone walls near the sea, burrows behind the walls of boathouses and frequently in the attics of buildings with few visitors near the beach. It eats on the beach faces of shallow sea bays and, on occasion, ploughed fields. It avoids deep bays and is more likely to be found on capes or peninsulas that extend far into the sea. It prefers larger (over 10 hectares) forest and bushy islands but occasionally nests on smaller rocky islets.

Nesting
The common shelduck nests in caves, abandoned fox and badger burrows, wide cracks in rocky shores and other similar locations. It has also nested in stone walls and beneath the floors and roofs of residential structures. A pair stays together for the entire breeding season. They line the nest with down feathers and the female bird lays 8–12 white eggs between late May and early June. Both parents are involved in incubating the eggs and feeding the young. The chicks hatch in the first half of July and become capable of flying by the end of August.

Conservation status and protection
It belongs to the protected species of category III.

Distribution and population in Lääne County.
The common shelduck is an uncommon breeding bird and a migrant along the coast of Lääne County. The first common shelducks arrive in Matsalu as early as mid-March and they can be spotted until August. Common shelducks can be found on the Puise Peninsula coast and Põgari-Sassi beach within the national park boundary. In Lääne County, common shelducks can also be observed on Cape Põõsaspea and Riguldi coast.