The white-winged duck (Asarcornis scutulata) belongs to the family Anatidae.
The white-winged duck is distributed in India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia and Indonesia.
The IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) has categorized and evaluated these duck species and has listed them as "Endangered".
These ducks are large birds, males measuring 65 to 80 cm in length and weighing 2,200 to 4,300 grams. The female birds weigh 1,700 to 3,600 grams.
These ducks have a whitish mottled head and neck. The body is dark and blackish. The lesser median coverts and inner edges of tertials are whitish and the secondaries are bluish-grey. They feed on seeds, grain, rice, snails, small fish and insects.
These ducks inhabit undisturbed, secluded pools and marshes adjacent to evergreen, deciduous or swamp forests. They roost and nest on trees and tree holes. The breeding season extends from April to July.
Earlier they were considered as vulnerable. With steep decline in population and habitat loss they are listed as endangered.
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| Indian birds - White-winged duck- Asarcornis scutulata |
| Biological classification of Asarcornis scutulata | |
|---|---|
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Anseriformes |
| Family: | Anatidae |
| Subfamily: | - |
| Genus: | Asarcornis |
| Species: | A. scutulata |
| Binomial name: | Asarcornis scutulata |
| Distribution: | India, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia and Indonesia; |
| Feeding habits: | seeds, grain, rice, molluscs; |
| IUCN status listing: |  Endangered |
Image source: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:White-winged_Duck_RWD3.jpg
Author: DickDaniels (http://carolinabirds.org/) | License: CC BY-SA 3.0
Current topic in Birds of India: White-winged duck - Asarcornis scutulata.
