Shelduck
| Irish Name: | Seil-lacha |
| Scientific name: | Tadorna tadorna |
| Bird Family: | Ducks |
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Conservation status
Conservation status
Status
Resident and winter migrant - Ireland receives additional birds during the winter (October to March) from Scandinavia and the Baltic.
Identification
Medium-sized goose-like duck, mostly white with dark-green head, red bill, a chestnut belt across the breast and black scapulars. Adult males have a prominent knob at the base of the bill.
Voice
Vocal, males in spring with high whizzing whistle, and a disyllabic 'piu-pu'.
Diet
Chief prey source is Hydrobia ulvae (a type of mudsnail), which is present in almost all estuaries, and often in large numbers. Spatial distribution is strongly influenced by the behaviour of this prey, particularly in relation to water depth. They possibly feed at night, detecting prey by tactile clues using their bills.
Breeding
Breeds in open areas along seashores, larger lakes and rivers. Nest in holes in banks, trees, occasionally strawstacks or buildings. There has been a recent expansion in the range of the northwest European population, and birds in Ireland and Britain have been displaced from coastal breeding sites and are increasingly using inland sites.
Wintering
Sheltered estuaries or tidal mudflats.
Monitored by
Widespread all around coasts with few records inland.
Shelduck have an almost entirely coastal distribution during the winter. Strangford Lough in County Down is the most important site (>3,000 birds). Other important sites include Cork Harbour in County Cork, Shannon & Fergus Estuary in County Clare and Dublin Bay in County Dublin (1,000-2,000 birds).
