The Brown Duck

Another species of duck under the camera this year has been the Brown Duck. Of it one or two fairly successful studies have been got, the birds caught in characteristic attitudes on half-submerged logs indeep shade. But, although this tame little duck is far from uncommon on the run, his breeding habits are still quite unknown to me. On several occasions I have chanced on their broods, but when they nest and where they nest is still a mystery. Often during the past season have McLean and myself lain hidden at night about their feeding grounds, and heard the birds fly in page break page break

Plate IX. Brown Duck Resting in Shade.

page 55 to others already lurking there; we have never yet, however, found the nests.

The Brown Duck's flight is strong and rapid, yet these very birds, a few minutes after alighting, would suffer us to get within three feet, bending over them in the dark as they lay in some tiny pool off the roadside. We could slowly follow them, too, as they moved a few feet ahead in single file across the dewy pasture.

The female is an excellent mother, and can hardly be scared into desertion of her young. More than once I have caught the hen on some little pool, hidden in tall swamp growths, one, perhaps, of a chain of waterholes half overarched with carex, raupo and flax.

The Brown Duck's note is extremely distinct, and quite unlike that of any other breed.

When quietly floating in shaded waters, and many of the birds together, the Brown Duck has a curious habit of sometimes striking the water violently. This, apparently is done with its foot, and does not seem to be a signal of any sort, for after the considerable splash thus caused no excitement or suspicion was noticeable among the other members of the flock.

This season my acquaintances with the Brown Duck began on October 13th. Returning late that night from watching for Blue Ducks, and riding past a marshy spot on the road, I noticed something skulking in front along the watertable. Flushed, it proved to be a Brown Duck, and had scarcely re-lit a few yards distant, when, with a great quacking, another bird —one of three—flew down and joined company.

It was evident, from their mutual excitement and interchange of greetings, that they were mates, and after waiting a little I rode home, arguing that there must be a nest in the vicinity, that the flushed bird must have been sitting, and that she had temporarily left a not very distant nest to feed.

Next day, however, systematic search revealed nothing, and twice later we were equally unsuccessful.

Each night we lay out, Brown Ducks, just after dark, could be heard coming to the marsh, but each night, also, other Brown Ducks were there before our arrival.

Once or twice, searching for Rail's nests, I have fancied I heard Brown Ducks in the page 57 tall, wet, raupo beds, and these birds may have had their young with them. On the other hand, on January Ist, and weeks after that date, there were sixteen Brown Ducks, male and female, in mature plumage, on the southern portion of Tutira lake. Of these a couple of pair seemed to be keeping to some extent apart, but the remainder flew together and swam together, as though flocked for the winter.

Each of these four kinds of duck has its own peculiar haunts and habits.

The Blue Duck will be found in the deep, cool gorges and rushing, bouldered streams, and nowhere else. The Brown Duck breeds probably near the little blind creeks that percolate, rather than flow, through the marsh lands. There, during the daytime, he quietly rests; or, if on larger sheets of water, lurks until dusk in deep shadow, and almost motionless. The Scaup seems to breed only on the lake's very edge, during the winter months, to congregate in great flocks, to lie in deep water during the daytime, and under no circumstances to visit the river beds. The Grey Duck's nesting sites are more diffuse: by lake edge, river brim, and far from water, even not very page 58 rarely on trees their eggs may be discovered. During the day they often rest on flat shore lands, or swim close along the raupo edge. No one of these breeds interferes with the other, nor do their nesting places overlap.

Plate X. Male and Female Brown Duck.