Tadorna variegata

The black-breasted Duck (Tadorna variegata) is a member of the Paradise Duck family.

The black-breasted ducks live in pairs during the breeding period, live in family groups and small groups during the non-breeding period, and sometimes integrate tens or even hundreds of large groups. Graze and weed on the grass, and attack crops, especially during molting. The black-breasted duck mainly feeds on aquatic plant leaves, buds, seeds, crop seedlings, grains and other plant foods, but also eats insects, crustaceans, mollusks, shrimp, water frogs, earthworms, small frogs and small fish and other animal foods. Foraging mostly in the evening and early morning, and sometimes during the day, especially in autumn and winter, small groups of a few to more than 20 are common in the arable land on both sides of the river to forage for scattered grains, but also in the shallow water and the surface of the water.

The black thorax duck reached sexual maturity at 2 years of age. It usually breeds once a year, occasionally twice a year. Breeding is from August to December. It usually breeds in open plains, and the union of pairs is relatively fixed. Mating in the water or on the ground, before mating the female duck neck straight forward, head low to the ground, and issued a 'quack' call, back and forth around the male duck, the male duck also stretched his neck to the female duck, then hold the female duck shoulder feathers, on the female duck back for mating. Nesting in the open plain grassland natural caves or other animal abandoned caves, tombs and mountain and lake islands in the earth and stone caves, also see nesting in grassland desert ground caves and poplar tree caves. The nest consists of a small amount of dead grass and a large amount of downy feathers. Brood number 9 eggs. Carried by the female alone, the male keeps watch near the nest, calls loudly to warn when in danger, and sometimes flies to intimidate the intruder in an aggressive posture. The female covers her eggs with feathers when she leaves the nest, and then goes out to forage with the male. After the end of foraging, the male flies back to the nest with the female, and then leaves the female to roost near the nest. The incubation period is 27-30 days, and the chicks hatch in early May. Hatched chicks swim with their parents in ponds and streams, and immediately hide in the grass on the shore after seeing people. The chicks are born early, covered with feathers, and can swim and dive. Chicks are able to fly after about 50 days of fledding life under the guidance of their parents.

Listed in the International Red Book of Birds of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), 2009 list ver 3.1.

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It is found in Australia and New Zealand, including Tasmania and its nearby islands.
It lives in various habitats such as rivers, lakes, estuaries, ponds and nearby grasslands, wastelands, swamps, sandy beaches, farmlands and plain open forests, especially in the lake zone on the plain. It lives mainly in inland freshwater, but is also found on coastal beaches and saltwater lakes and in open grasslands far from water.

The black-breasted duck is a species of dimorphic bird, both male and female with brightly colored plumage. The male duck has a black head and nearly black body, and the female duck has a white head and chestnut plumage. Adult ducks have a variety of color patches on their wings: blue, gray, brown, green and black; The duck's beak, eyes and legs are black. The young duck is a colorful, distinct hemp color.