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TREE DUCKS 



LIFE STORY 



The Fulvous Tree Duck is a medium-sized, long-legged, long-necked 

 duck of somewhat goose-like appearance and habits. The term "fulvous" 

 means deep yellow or tawny and refers to the colour of the bird. To the 

 gunners of this continent it is known as the "fiddler duck" and to the 

 natives of Mexico as "pato silvon" or "whistling duck." It has the 

 most extraordinary range of all species of bird, being found in five 

 widely separated "colonies": India, East Africa, southeastern South 

 America, northern South America and southern United States and 

 northern Mexico. It is of a shy, retiring disposition and very nocturnal 

 in its feeding habits. As the majority migrate into Mexico before the 

 commencement of the shooting season, these ducks are of little interest 

 to the gunners of North America. In flight the long legs extend beyond 

 the tail and the birds present a most unduck-like appearance. 



V, 



The term tree duck, as applied to this species, is a misnomer, as this 

 duck is neither a tree percher nor habitually a tree nester. It does 

 occasionally build its nest in holes in hollow trees but usually the nests 

 are placed in the tules or grasses on the edges of ponds or swamps. Nests 

 have been found containing upwards of 100 eggs, and very frequently 

 thirty or more eggs are found in one nest. Twelve to 17 eggs, however, 

 constitute the usual number found; the larger sets are probably the 

 product of more than one female, as it is well known that many of the 

 slough-nesting ducks are careless about laying their eggs in the nests 

 of other ducks. The colour of the eggs is white to buffy white, and they 

 average in size 2.10 by 1.60 inches. 



