Common Shelduck
Tadorna tadorna

The female lays up to 15 eggs and incubates them while the male, or drake, defends the nest. Once the eggs hatch, the female leads the young to the water, protected by the drake. The young join a nursery group, or créche, until they can take care of themselves.

Fact File

Wingspan: 3.5 to 4.5 ft

Weight: 2 to 3 lbs

Lifespan: Up to 15 yrs in the wild

Habitat: Coastal mudflats and estuaries

Diet: Primarily salt-water snails, other aquatic invertebrates and some small fish and vegetation