|
|
| Order |
Anseriformes |
| Family |
Anatidae |
| Scientific
name |
Anas platyrhyncos |
|
English name |
Mallard |
| Alternative
name |
|
| Bislama
name(s) |
|
| Status
in Vanuatu |
Introduced species |
| Recent
records |
2
View
Distribution
|
| Contributions |
0
Images,
0
Recordings.
|
| This northern hemisphere duck was introduced to Australia, New Caledonia and New Zealand. In New Zealand there was a population explosion of Mallards from the 1950s (Marchant and Higgins, 1990). In New Caledonia they became widespread within 20 years of introduction (Bregulla, 1992). Capable of long distance transmarine movements, Mallards are also resident on Lord Howe and Norfolk islands (Marchant and Higgins, 1990). Evidence is mounting they are resident in Vanuatu on Tanna and not vagrant as previously assumed. Bregulla (1992) notes one record from the 1980s of a domesticated Mallard caught as a duckling on Lake Siwi on Tanna. More recent observations suggest Mallard x Pacific Black Duck hybrids on Tanna. In 2008, a party of three male Mallards in breeding plumage and three females were spotted at the drained Lake Siwi and a few days later there were five Mallards at the dam by Whitegrass Airport (S. Totterman, personal observation). It is suspected there are hybrids on Tanna supplemented by occasional arrivals of genetically more pure Mallards from overseas. Mallards pose a conservation threat to natives by competition and genetic dilution. In New Zealand, more than 25 percent of Pacific Black Ducks Anas superciliosa may be hybrids (Marchant and Higgins, 1990). Some visual characters of hybrids are less bold facial markings, a blue or blue-purple speculum (not green or green-purple) and orange legs (Marchant and Higgins, 1990). Observers should be aware of possible Mallards and hybrids in Vanuatu. Also note that hybrids with less than one-eighth Mallard genes are indistinguishable from Pacific Black Ducks in the field (Marchant and Higgins, 1990). References. |
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