The Blue Duck (Hymenolaimus malacorhynchos) is a member of the duck, goose and swan family Anatidae endemic to New Zealand. It is the only member of the genus Hymenolaimus, placed in the shelduck subfamily Tadorninae after previously being considered part of the paraphyletic "perching duck" assemblage. The Māori name, sometimes used in English, is whio, which is an onomatopoetic rendition of the males' call.
The Blue Duck features on the reverse side of the New Zealand $10 note.
Read more about Blue Duck: Description, Ecology and Behaviour, Status
Famous quotes containing the words blue and/or duck:
“So here they are, the dog-faced soldiers, the regulars, the fifty-cents-a-day professionals riding the outposts of the nation, from Fort Reno to Fort Apache, from Sheridan to Stark. They were all the same. Men in dirty-shirt blue and only a cold page in the history books to mark their passing. But wherever they rode and whatever they fought for, that place became the United States.”
—Frank S. Nugent (19081965)
“My God! The English language is a form of communication! Conversation isnt just crossfire where you shoot and get shot at! Where youve got to duck for your life and aim to kill! Words arent only bombs and bulletsno, theyre little gifts, containing meanings!”
—Philip Roth (b. 1933)