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File:Witkopeend_-_white-headed_duck_-_Oxyura_leucocephala_3.tif · Wikimedia Commons · See Wikimedia Commons

EntityQ241399· pop 60· linked from 135 articles

White-headed Duck

Also known as Oxyura leucocephala

species of bird

OverviewAI-generated

The White-headed Duck (*Oxyura leucocephala*) is a species of bird within the family Anatidae and order Anseriformes. It belongs to the class Aves and phylum Chordata, with the genus *Oxyura* serving as its parent taxon. The species is also referred to by the common names hwyaden benwen, Weißkopf-Ruderente, and Malvasía cabeciblanca. Its taxonomic status is accepted, with authority attributed to Scopoli in 1769.

This freshwater-dwelling bird has a wingspan of 66 and a mass of 737. Its taxon range is listed as Africa, and it is described as a winter visitor. The IUCN Red List classifies the species as Endangered, a status recorded in 2017.

Synthesized by Vinony from 26 facts across 5 sources: Wikidata, Encyclopedia of Life, WoRMS, IUCN Red List, Vinony graph. Generated from structured data (not the Wikipedia text) and checked against those facts — may still contain errors.

Species

Endangered

white-headed duck

Species

PhylumChordata
ClassAves
OrderAnseriformes
FamilyAnatidae

Habitatfreshwater

Winter visitor?

via IUCN

~4 min read

Encyclopedic overview

The white-headed duck (Oxyura leucocephala) is a small diving duck some 45 cm (18 in) long. The male has a white head with black crown, a blue bill, and reddish-grey plumage. The female has a dark bill and rather duller colouring. Its breeding habitat is lakes with open water and dense vegetation at the margin. It dives under water and feeds on aquatic vegetation as well as some animal matter. It is more likely to swim away from a perceived threat than to fly. This duck is known from Spain, North Africa, Western Asia and Central Asia. Populations are declining, mostly due to loss of habitat and pollution, and the International Union for Conservation of Nature has rated the bird's status as "endangered".

Taxonomy and systematics

Excerpted from Wikipedia’s “White-headed Duck” article, available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.