Pego duck is one of the most colorful representatives of the duck family due to the characteristic contrasting color of plumage. This unique bird has some features that are characteristic of geese and swans. For the former, she “adopted” the behavior on the ground and in the air: a pegans is a duck that easily, quickly and travels a lot on land, but keeps its flight straight, flies slowly and rarely flies its wings like geese. With swans, it is united by monogamy in mating relations: males and females create strong alliances for life.
Description of Duck Pegs
This is a fairly large waterfowl with a characteristic bright plumage. In length, females reach 58 cm, males - 65 cm, and their wingspan varies from 110 to 130 cm. This species differs from its relatives in an elongated neck and high legs. The weight of males is 0.9-1.65 kg, females - 0.6-1.3 kg.
As can be seen in the photo, the pegans duck differs from other ducks in a motley color that includes several bright colors. The general white background of the plumage clearly contrasts with the bright black with green tint of the color of the head, neck, ends of the wings and the middle part of the abdomen and back. The picturesque appearance of this bird is given by a red-chestnut band, covering the chest, shoulder blades and part of the back, as well as a red undertail, pink legs and a red beak.
The characteristic features of males include bright green mirrors on the wings and a pineal growth of the same color as the beak that adorns the beak. In females, the feathers around the eyes are white.
Habitat
The Peganus duck has been listed in the Red Book for quite some time, since its population is steadily declining. Depending on the living conditions, these birds are divided into two subgroups. One of them inhabits the salty and brackish water sources of the arid regions of Central Asia, the second - the sea coasts of Europe. In Russia, this species can be found in the steppe and forest-steppe southern zone, as well as on the White Sea islands.
These birds arrive at the nesting sites in early spring. For the construction of future nests, they choose water sources with brackish or salt water, located near stone talus or sand dunes.
Breeding
Sexual maturity in male Pego ducks occurs at 4-5 years of age, but in females, the ability to lay eggs occurs twice as early. The mating season in these birds begins after arrival at the nesting sites, and the offspring appears only in the summer. Up to 9 “suitors” can simultaneously “look after” a potential “bride”. During the ritual, the males make high squeaky sounds, stretch their necks, nod their heads and bow. Marriage dances alternate with fights between competitors. The female goes to the strongest and most belligerent male, who won the fights of the other contenders.
Having formed a pair, the birds go in search of a nesting place, which can be located at a fairly remote distance from the coast. Pegans most often use old hollows in trees or free holes of various animals: badgers, marmots, foxes, corsacs, but they can dig quite deep underground dwellings themselves. Sometimes couples equip open nests in bushy vegetation.
The female lays the bottom of the hole with down and dry grass, and then lays eggs. On average, the clutch consists of 8-12 eggs, but sometimes their number can reach up to 18 pieces. Periodically weaning from the nest, the duck covers the eggs with down. During the last two days before the appearance of the chicks, the brood hen does not leave the house. The hatching period lasts an average of 30 days, and all this time the drakes live near the nest, protecting their "spouse" and future offspring from predators.
Chick development
Ducklings are born in a fluffy "fur coat" and are already fully developed. They almost immediately exit the nest and run well. Moreover, if their house is located high, the chicks fearlessly jump to the ground. Parents take their offspring to the shore of the reservoir for feeding. Many babies have to overcome impressive distances from the nest to the shore.
During the journey to the pond, the duck goes in front of the chicks, and the drake - on the side or closes the column, protecting his family.
Sometimes on the shore, the offspring of several couples unite in flocks, creating a kind of “kindergartens”, guarded by parents and fathers, between whom conflicts periodically erupt due to their zealous attitude to their duties as advocates. In some cases, the winner expels several defeated males from the place of feeding, attaching their broods to their chicks.
Until the age of one and a half months, the young live near their native nest under the protection of their parents, although the drake abandons his paternal duties before the duck. At 7-8 weeks after birth, the ducklings leave their homes and begin their independent existence.
Peganok diet
The rhythm of life and the “menu” of the pegans duck is determined by the habitat. This bird swims well, holding its body high in the water. As for diving, this type of duck does not practice such a method for extracting food.
Diet pegans mainly consists of seafood. During high tides, ducks rest on the shore or in the water, and after low tide go to shallow water, hunting for crustaceans and mollusks. In addition, birds feed on algae, earthworms, eggs and fish fry, aquatic insects and other animals.
In addition to marine life, Pegans eat a variety of insects living on land, as well as vegetative shoots and seeds of some plants. These birds do not like the freshwater “menu”, therefore they practically do not nest near fresh sources.
For example, on the North Atlantic coast, the diet of pegans is 90% composed of small littoral snails Hydrobia ulvae, near the shores of the Azov and Black Seas, as well as Asian reservoirs, these ducks feed on crustaceans and larvae of pusher mosquitoes.
Plumage change
The process of molting in male pegans begins faster than in females. As mentioned above, drakes leave their offspring earlier than their “spouses”, because they have a period of change of plumage, during which they are not able to fly. Males gather in huge flocks on the shores of ponds. After the young stands on the wing, molting begins in females, which immediately join the male community.
When the process of changing the plumage ends, adult birds still continue to live in packs that are replenished with young animals. Pegans lead a colonial lifestyle until departure.
Enemies pegans
In the wild, the enemies of these birds are foxes, minks, jackals, wild cats, otters, hawks, moons and kites. These predators are dangerous not only for young animals, but also for adult birds. But the eggs and little chicks are not averse to feasting on crows and gulls.
The commercial value of pegans
Being unusually beautiful birds, pegans have always been an object of hunting, although they did not belong to the mass game. Today, the fishing of this bird is strictly prohibited, since some of its species are on the verge of extinction. The common pegans is able to breed in captivity, so it is grown as a decorative bird to decorate park ponds.
In some European countries, the collection of fluff from duck nests is practiced, since in quality it is not inferior to the eider down. As for the nutritional value of wild pegans, in the summer it is almost inedible, because it has a rather unpleasant odor. With the onset of cold weather, its quality becomes better, but in Europe it is still considered unsuitable for food.
Farmers who breed this bird in captivity, if they slaughter it for food, only in winter. At the same time, before preparing the duck peganka, they gut it and leave it in the cold for a couple of days so that the meat "ripens" and its unpleasant odor decreases.
The heat treatment of this type of duck is carried out by methods used for other game, that is, by frying, boiling, stewing or baking. Thus, how to cook a peganca duck, everyone decides for himself, based on his personal taste preferences. But, regardless of the selected recipe, it should be remembered that her meat is not "friendly" with most spices, with the exception of black pepper and salt, so you should not experiment with various seasonings.