DISSEMINATION |
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Geographic Range | Africa, Europe, Asia. |
Physical Characteristics | it is stocky, it has a little beak with a withe spot on it and a short neck. The upper part of the body is black, the lower one is reddish. The upper part of the head is black and the cheecks are brown. Male and female are similar. During the winter season the colour is lighter. |
Call | it gives different calls, during the winter season it is usually quiet. |
Habitat | ponds, lakes, in still waters. |
Food habits | little shellfishes, insects, larva. |
Migration | in Italy it is nest building, regular migratory and wintering. Population that nests in Italy is considered sedentary or subject to short drifts. |
Nidification | it builds little rafts anchored in the middle of the reeds, built with thin reeds. |
Riproduction | couples are made up during winter. Between April an July female lays 4 - 6 eggs that are hatched for 20 - 27 days by both parents. The chicks are bred by both the parents or by the male only if the female is busy with another hatch. |
Status in the lagoon | the larger populations can be found in the fish farms in Caorle, Bibione and in the Northern Lagoon: in particular along the Lemene river and the Nicesolo Channel. |
Sources | |
References | Oiseaux.net I censimenti degli uccelli svernanti in Provincia di Venezia - a cura di M. Bon e G. Cherubini - Provincia di Venezia, Assessorato Caccia e Pesca. Atlante degli Uccelli Nidificanti in Provincia di Venezia - a cura di M. Bon, G. Cherubini, M. Semenzato, E. Stival - Provincia di Venezia, Assessorato Caccia e Pesca. |
Web References | http://www.oiseaux.net/ |
Source of the photo | http://alabat.free.fr/entree.htm |
Source of the call | http://www.birdforum.net/ |
Source of the video | http://www.hbw.com/ibc/ |