Bird 106 – Cuckoo Duck

Welcome to Part III on Brood Parasites. And this week’s dead beat parent, the Cuckoo Duck (Heteronetta atricapilla)

That’s right, just when you thought ducks were cool again, here goes one giving all the others a bad name.

This is a black-headed little duck that lives in Argentina. They’re a bit of a odd-ball duck actually, as they don’t really have any close relatives. They live in fresh water bodies and are diving specialists. 

But let’s not mess around. You’re interested in how this duck cuckoos.

Well, much like other cuckoos, the Cuckoo Duck is all about laying its eggs in someone else’s nest. Because who can be bothered making a nest, am I right?

They tend to pick on other ducks, or seagulls. But the Cuckoo Duck is a bit different to other Cuckoos: neither the parent nor the chick destroys the host’s eggs.

In fact, ducklings are among the most independent of babies getting around. Within hours of hatching the duckling will quickly work out that it does not belong in that nest, and will hightail it out of there, perfectly capable of swimming and feeding itself already. Given that Gulls are more likely to eat ducklings than raise them, it’s probably not a bad strategy for our young impostor.

So, as far as these parasites go, the Cuckoo Duck isn’t all that bad … they just can’t be bothered making a nest… and lay their eggs in the nest of their natural predator, but hey, no bird is perfect.

That’s a lie, all birds are perfect. I mean, come on, have you even seen a bird recently?  

08/12/2019