Comb Duck

Sarkidiornis sylvicola

The Comb Duck is a unique bird with a big, fluffy crest on its head. It loves to swim in wetlands and can often be seen waddling around looking for food.

Habitat: Wetlands

Appearance

The Comb Duck is a large duck with iridescent blue-black upperparts and a contrasting white belly. Males have a distinctive, large, fleshy black knob (or 'comb') on their bill, making them stand out from females and other ducks.

KingdomAnimaliaPhylumChordataClassAvesOrderAnseriformesFamilyAnatidaeGenusSarkidiornis

Comb Duck

Interesting facts

A group of Comb Ducks can be called a 'paddling' or 'raft' when on water!

Comb Ducks sometimes lay their eggs in the nests of other bird species!

Despite being ducks, they prefer to build their nests in tree cavities or abandoned nests.

Its unique comb swells up and becomes even more colorful when it's time to find a partner!

Special abilities

Comb Duck males have a unique fleshy comb that helps them attract mates during the breeding season.

Comb Ducks can swim gracefully and dive efficiently for food, using strong webbed feet to navigate wetlands.

This duck often perches in trees, an unusual trait for many duck species, helping them scan for danger.

Measurements & details

Length: 56-76 cm
Wingspan: 116-142 cm
Weight: 0.6-2.9 kg
Lifespan: 10-15 years
Top Speed: 75 km/h
Clutch Size: 7-15
Incubation: 28-32 days

Diet & Feeding

This duck eats a mix of yummy aquatic plants, seeds, and small water creatures.

Age differences: Ducklings initially eat more protein-rich insects, shifting towards more plant matter as adults.

Primary Foods

aquatic plants
seeds
grasses
aquatic insects
small fish
larvae

Foraging Method

Foraging

Ecological connections

eaten by

American Alligator

Alligator mississippiensis

Large reptiles prey on ducklings and adult Comb Ducks.

eaten by

Bald Eagle

Haliaeetus leucocephalus

Large raptors can catch ducks from the sky or water.

eats

White Water Lily

Nymphaea alba

Feeds on seeds and vegetative parts of aquatic plants.

depends on

Broadleaf Cattail

Typha latifolia

Provides nesting cover and foraging areas in wetland habitats.

Traits

Webbed Feet

Characterized by having toes connected by a membrane, typically aiding in swimming.

Crested

Crested describes animals possessing a prominent tuft of feathers, hair, or skin on their head.

Social

Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring.

Omnivorous

This trait identifies organisms whose diet includes both plant and animal matter.

Filter Feeder

Filter feeders obtain nutrients by straining suspended food particles and small organisms from water.

Wetland

This habitat trait identifies species found in wetlands, which are areas of land saturated with water, either permanently or seasonally, including marshes, swamps, and bogs.