Behaviour
Moulting flocks can be very large (100,000 on the Wadden Sea), since most pairs leave their partially grown young in a crèche with just one or two adults.
This species is mainly associated with lakes and rivers in open country, breeding in rabbit burrows, tree holes, haystacks or similar. In winter it is common on suitable estuaries and tidal mudflats as well.
This bird is one of the species to which the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA) applies.
The young will dive under water to avoid predators and the adults will fly away from them to act as a decoy.
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A female ruffles up her feathers.
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Adults upending, note underside and feet colors
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Adults mating in Lancashire (UK) (male right), note size difference
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Nesting site diorama, Küstenmuseum Juist (Germany)
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Ducklings on Borkum (Germany)
Read more about this topic: Common Shelduck
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