Northern Shoveler Eclipse

["calyptorhynchus ." <>]

From what I am read the actual flight feather moult occurs over the breeding season when the female is on the nest, but the moulting of the body plumage can take place anytime in the next six months or even longer. So the fact that our bird has immaculate plumage probably means that it did all its moulting at the breeding grounds whereas others can delay the body plumage moult until their winter, our summer. 

John L

On Tue, 24 Sep 2019 at 15:56 shorty <> wrote:

I think this bird begs more questions than we have answers. Why is it in breeding plumage at this time of Year? It seems to be the wrong time of Year if it is flown from the Northern hemisphere ? Have all sightings in Australia been of this same bird? Maybe it arrived Years ago somehow and does not know it's way back?

Shorty

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On Tue, Sep 24, 2019 at 3:06 PM calyptorhynchus . <> wrote:

To answer my own question, this largely takes place during breeding, or at least the replacement of the flight feathers and the flightless phase.

So our northern shoveler won’t be immobile, which could explain why it’s gone missing from the ACT! 

John L

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John Leonard
Canberra
Australia
www.jleonard.net

‘There is kinship between people and all animals. Such is the Law.’ Kimberley lawmen (from Yorro Yorro)

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John Leonard
Canberra
Australia
www.jleonard.net

‘There is kinship between people and all animals. Such is the Law.’ Kimberley lawmen (from Yorro Yorro)