Earlier this week I flushed a PBD twice from the
same spot in our back garden, and upon investigation found a nest with 5 eggs in
it beneath a tussock of Red-anthered Wallaby Grass. Suspecting she was still
laying and had not yet begun to incubate, I checked the nest a day or so later
and found no eggs whatsoever. Upon closer examination, I found that she had
covered the eggs with grass - a perfect disguise. This afternoon I unwittingly
flushed her again and found the nest now had 8 eggs in it, and she had now
obviously begun incubating (photo at http://photogallery.canberrabirds.org.au).
I checked HANZAB and Beruldsen and there was no
references to this species camouflaging the nest during laying. Has anyone
experienced or heard of this behaviour before in Pacific Black Ducks? It does
make perfect sense, given that the nest can be unattended for the majority of
time for up to 2 weeks or more prior to incubation. I think I just assumed they
left the nest as is.
David Cook
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