Surface Feeding Ducks

 

 

Ruddy Shelduck Seil-Lacha Rua Tadorna ferruginea

Rare vagrant.

This species is regularly found in captivity, with many migratory feral populations on the near continent.

Records in recent decades probably do not refer to genuinely wild birds. The species remains on Category D of the Irish list (escaped or introduced).

Five records involving 14 birds up to the end of 2020. Only 13 birds up to 1946 are considered wild (details below).

1946 Whitegate Bay, a semi albinistic individual shot on the 30th January.
1892 Cobh Harbour, three, including one female shot, 4th August.
1871 One off Clonakilty January 1871
1886 Banteer, three, one shot, on the 16th July.
1886 Kinsale, six on the 26th June, six seen, one shot.

Global Distribution: Eastern Europe, Asia and North-west Africa.

 

(Common) Shelduck Seil-Lacha (Coitianta) Tadorna tadorna

Common throughout the region, breeding in small numbers in many areas. Population seems to be declining. Large winter flocks are found mainly in the Cork Harbour area.
There was a count of 3,765 in Cork Harbour in December 1981 and a peak count of only 694 in the  winter of 2019/20.

Global Distribution: Europe and Asia.

 

Summer Distribution

 

Winter Distribution

(Eurasian) Wigeon Lacha Rua (Eoráiseach) Mareca penelope

Common winter visitor, very scarce in summer. Not known to breed.

Global Distribution: Iceland, northern Europe and Asia.

Summer Distribution

 

Winter Distribution

Distribution: breeds in northern Europe, and winters in coastal areas of the Mediterranean, the Black Sea and north-west Europe, which together probably hold >50% of its global population. Rare and sporadic breeder in Ireland. (Birdlife International)

American Wigeon Lacha Rua Mheiriceánach Mareca americana

Very scarce winter visitor, rarely in small groups.

58 records involving 39 birds up to the end of 2020, many returning individuals. Records are mostly of males, probably due to the difficulty of identifying females.

Recorded at the following locations: Adrigole, Ballintubbrid, Ballycotton, Ballymacoda, Carrigadrohid, Charleville Lagoons, Cuskinny, Dooniskey (The Gearagh), Douglas Estuary, harper’s Island, Inchydoney, Kilcolman NNR, Lee Reservoir, Lissagriffin Lake, Reenydonegan Lake, Rosscarbery, Rostellan, Rostellan/Whitegate, The Gearagh, Timoleague, Whitegate/Rostellan.
All records between September and April except one long staying bird at Inchydoney from 28th June 2002 until 7th Janury 2003.

Global Distribution: Breeds mainly in northwest and central North America and winters in southern North America, the Caribbean and Central America. (Cornell Lab of Ornithology)

 

Gadwall Gadual Mareca strepera

Scarce and declining winter visitor away from the east Cork strongholds, where most common. Rare in summer. Has been known to breed.

Global Distribution: This species has an extremely wide distribution across the Palearctic and Nearctic regions, occurring in the U.S.A., Canada, Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, Cuba, Jamaica, Iceland, Ireland, the United Kingdom, Portugal, Spain, Morocco, Western Sahara, Andorra, France, Monaco, Belgium, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Austria, Italy, Germany, Denmark, the Czech Republic, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro, Kosovo, Albania, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Greece, Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary, Slovakia, Moldova, Ukraine, Belarus, Russia, Turkey, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, Sudan, Ethiopia, Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Syria, Israel, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, China, Mongolia, Pakistan, India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Burma and Japan. The subspecies couesi was discovered on Teraina, Kiribati in 1874, but it has not been seen since and is now extinct (del Hoyo et al. 1992).

 

Summer Distribution

 

Winter Distribution

(Common) Teal Praslacha (Coitianta) Anas crecca

Common winter visitor throughout the area, scarce in summer. Rare breeding Species.

Global Distribution: Europe, Africa, Asia and Iceland.

 

Summer Distribution

 

Winter Distribution

Green-winged Teal Praslacha Ghlasmeiteach Anas carolinensis

Rare vagrant.

A total of 54 records involving 50 individuals up to the end of 1999 when the species was removed from the IRBC rarities list.

About 50 more up to the end of 2020. The first county record was in Midleton in 1968, some records involving the same individual.

Analysis of these records show the following:
Birds were seen at the following locations: Ballintubbrid/Saleen, Ballycotton, Ballymacoda, Belgooly, Carrigadrohid, Charleville Lagoons, Clonakilty, Coachford, Douglas Estuary, Illen Estuary, Glounthaune, Inchydoney, Inishbeg, Kilbrittain Creek, Kilcolman NNR, Lee Reservoir, Lough Beg, Marino Point (Cobh), Midleton, Rathcoursey, Rosscarbery, The Gearagh.
All birds identified were male, females being impossible to seperate from our Teal.
Seen almost annually and recorded in all months except June, August and September with most seen from November to February.

Global Distribution: Breeds in northern North America and winters in southern North America. (Cornell Lab of Ornithology)

Mallard Mallard Anas platyrhynchos

Common resident breeding species and winter visitor, found on most waterways.

Global Distribution: Europe, Africa, Asia, North America, Greenland and Iceland.

 

Summer Distribution

 

Winter Distribution

American Black Duck Lacha Chosrua Anas rubripes

Rare vagrant.

Seven county records up to the end of 2020.

2016 Balitmore, one from 11 to 19th February.
2013 Mizen head and Crookhaven, two males, 7th to 9th March.
2006 Kilcolman NNR, adult male, 4th March to 7th May.
1999 Harper’s Island, a male on the 31st October.
1995 Lissagriffin, one from 19th August to 12th October, presumed returning individual.
1994 Lissagriffin, 3rd September to mid-October.
1994 Kinsale Marsh, male, 13th March.
1993 Ballycotton, male, 26th to 28th January; same, Loughaderry, 30th January to 15th March.

Global Distribution: Breeds mainly in north-eastern North American and winters in south-eastern North America. (Cornell Lab of Ornithology)

 

(Northern) Pintail Biorearrach/Lacha (Stiúrach) Anas acuta

Local & scarce winter visitor.

Global Distribution: Europe, Africa, Asia, North America, northern South America and Iceland.

 

Winter Distribution

Distribution: a widespread breeder in much of northern and parts of central Europe, which accounts for less than a quarter of its global breeding range.
Also north Africa, Asia, North America and Iceland. (Birdlife International)

 

Garganey Praslacha Shamhraidh Spatula querquedula

Scarce passage migrant.

At least 140 birds recorded in the county up to the end of 2020. A few winter records in recent years, reflecting a national trend.

Analysis of records up to the end of 1993 when this species was removed from the IRBC rarities list showed the following:
Birds were seen at the following locations: Ballycotton, Ballylickey, Ballymacoda, Ballymona, Cape Clear Island, Castle Richard, Charleville Lagoons,
Cobh, Douglas Estuary, Garretstown, Kilcolman NNR, Kinsale, Lissagriffin, Lough Beg, Midleton, Rosscarbery, Rostellan, Whitegate.
Most records were of single males with the highest count being six at Ballycotton in August 1968. Most were only seen on one day.
Recorded in all months of the year except July up to September 2022 with most records in April/May and August/September.

Global Distribution: Europe, Africa and Asia. (Birdlife International)

 

Blue-winged Teal Praslacha Ghormeiteach Spatula discors

Rare vagrant.

17 county records involving 18 individuals up to the end of 2020.

2014 Beamish’s Pool, Clonakilty, one on the 27th May.
2013 Ballycotton, one from the 20th to 22nd October.
2011 Ballycotton, juvenile, 29th October.
2010 The Gearagh, 1st Winter/Female, 19th September.
2010 Courtmacsherry, 26th September.
1999 Crookhaven, first-year male, 3rd to 17th October.
1995 Cork/Limerick – Charleville Lagoons, male, 27th December to 2nd January 1996.
1995 Ballyhonock Lake, female, 16th November.
1995 Ballymacoda, male and female, 26th February.
1990 Ballymacoda, adult male, 16th November to 27th January 1991.
1988 Kinsale Marsh, male, 7th to 8th May.
1986 Cape Clear Island, female or immature, 25th September to 14th October.
1985 Clonakilty, female, 23rd September.
1975 Passage West Reservoir, shot, 5th October.
1955 Corran Lake, near Leap, first-winter female, shot, November, now at National Museum, Dublin.
1950 Garryvoe, adult female, shot, 12th December.
1910 Ballycotton, immature female, shot, 9th September, now at Nat.Museum, Dublin.A. R. Nichols, Irish Naturalist 20: 16

Global Distribution: Breeds in central and northern North America and winters southern North America, Central America, the Caribbean and northern South America. (Cornell Lab of Ornithology)

 

(Northern) Shoveler Spadalach (Tuaisceartach) Spatual clypeata

Locally scarce in winter, rare in summer. Has been known to breed in small numbers.

Global Distribution: Europe, Africa, Asia and North America.

 

Summer Distribution

 

Winter Distribution

 

Species seen but considered escaped from captivity or deliberately introduced into the wild.

Ruddy Shelduck Tadorna ferruginea

Cape Shelduck Tadorna cana

Wood Duck Aix spona

Mandarin Duck Aix galericulata

Chiloe Wigeon Anas sibilatrix

Rosy-billed Duck Netta peposaca