Aquatic Birds

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Finally, A Close Up

At the end of September I finally got to see the exotic shelduck up close. It was foraging for food in the mud with a bunch of mallards and wood ducks. I don't know the gender. Males in breeding colors have a black collar. But is it not breeding season. So it could be a female, an immature or a non-breeding male. If it stays all winter we might find out.
update: a facebook friend from West Bengal provided this additional information: "This is a Ruddy Shelduck commonly known as Brahminy Duck in India. Buddhists consider them to be sacred. The male in breeding season develops a black ring around the neck while the female may have a whitish patch in the face."
Ruddy Shelduck (Tadorna ferruginea)

Tadorna ferruginea Ruddy Shelduck duck aquatic aquatic bird large duck rare uncommon escaped exotic water fowl water fowl dabbling duck native to Asia white rock lake dallas texas sunset bay sunset bay beach mud foraging feeding close up butt shot colorful mallards log