File:A natural history of the ducks (1922) (14741949556).jpg

Identifier: naturalhistoryof01phil (find matches)
Title: A natural history of the ducks
Year: 1922 (1920s)
Authors: Phillips, John C. (John Charles), 1876-1938
Subjects: Ducks
Publisher: Boston New York : Houghton Mifflin company
Contributing Library: Boston Public Library
Digitizing Sponsor: Boston Public Library

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ere are in theShiptin Collection various specimens from Tres Pozos, eastern Salta, and that the National Museumat Buenos Aires has young specimens from that region. GENERAL HABITSHaunts. From the Santa Marta district of Colombia, M. A. Carriker writes methat the Southern Red-billed Tree Ducks are like other Tree Ducks in being decidedlybirds of the tropical lowlands, not going above three thousand feet, and scarcelyabove one thousand feet save under exceptional conditions, such as obtain in theCauca Valley, which is very hot for its altitude. They are found in about all locali-ties where ducks might be looked for: on lakes, ponds, marshes, rivers, and evenbrackish estuaries, but they prefer fresh-water lagoons, ponds or sluggish rivers,surrounded by, or near forests. In this part of Colombia the present species seemsto be the only Tree Duck. In the Guianas the birds are said to come to the coast inthe dry season, returning inland during the wet season (F. P. and A. P. Penard,1908-10).
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Map 16. Distribution of Gray-breasted Tree Duck (Dendrocygna discolor)Sporadic record indicated by cross (X) GRAY-BREASTED TREE DUCK 165 Wabiness. In the Santa Marta region of Colombia these birds are rather tame asducks go, and not particularly hard to shoot (Carriker, in litt.); but in the Guianasthey are considered harder to shoot than most ducks. When flushed they do notflock together (F. P. and A. P. Penard, 1908-10). It is unlikely that in this respectthey are different from their near relatives of the species Dendrocygna autumnaliswhich are without question less wild than migratory water-fowl. The young, whencaptured and kept in confinement, are tamer even than domestic ducklings (F. P.and A. P. Penard, 1908-10). Daily Movements. Though I have been unable to find in the literature any-thing bearing on this point, I presume that this species is, like Dendrocygna autum-nalis, decidedly nocturnal in its habits. Flight. Just before the breeding season these birds assemble in large

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