Ruddy shelduck ( Brahminy Duck )

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The Ruddy shelduck, known in India as the Brahminy duck, is a winter visitor to Chandigarh. These ducks have already arrived at Sukhna Lake. It has orange-brown body plumage with a paler head, while the tail and the flight feathers in the wings are black, contrasting with the white wing-coverts. It may be due to their saffron color that resembled saffron robes of the Brahmins in ancient India, that these are also known as Brahminy Ducks in India.

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Ruddy Shelduck is no sitting duck. They scale the mighty Himalayas when they migrate to India from the north attaining heights of 6800 meters, according to a new study published in the journal of avian biology.

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“This species has probably evolved a range of adaptations to be able to cope with flying so high, where oxygen levels are half those at sea level. We don’t yet know the nature of these adaptations, our research also shows that the ruddy shelduck has a faster climb rate than the bar-headed goose – the only waterfowl known to fly even higher,” writes lead researcher Nicole Parr of the University in his research paper. 

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