A small duck with a "hairstyle" on its head was called "crested black". Among the people, she is sometimes called black or white-sided, these names also describe her appearance to some extent. For a comfortable stay, she needs a reservoir rich in vegetation. To get their own food, this bird dives to a depth, sometimes reaching 10 meters. Therefore, it is better for her if the reservoir is deep. In it, the crested blackling obtains a more varied diet. Under water, the bird gets shellfish, which are its main food. In addition, she also eats crustaceans, small fish, and insect larvae. In times of famine, he does not hesitate to use plants as an additive to the main diet. This duck is classified as a diving duck, it dives quickly, but it takes off heavily and only after a run through the water.
Where he lives
The crested duck lives in Karelia, as well as on the Kola Peninsula and the Far East. Its nesting takes place in Bashkortostan, the Trans-Urals, Northern Siberia, Northern Kazakhstan, and the Middle Trans-Volga region. She also lives in London, where she willingly settles in city ponds. Often the winter hut of these birds is located near the northern part of France, Germany, Belgium, Holland. Most people prefer to spend the cold season at sea. They can be found in Morocco, Egypt, off the coast of the Black and Azov Seas. Even in Vietnam, India, Iraq, Japan, these representatives of the fauna are familiar.
Looks like
Hunters can see this duck well on the water, thanks to the bright plumage of the male, and distinguish it from other species by the crest on its head. The female looks more inconspicuous than her "spouse". Instead of black plumage, she has a brownish-red, and the decoration on her head is smaller. The male, on the contrary, has a contrasting white and black plumage and a large crest. The eyes are yellow, the beak is blue, the paws are gray. They are reluctant to hunt this bird, since its meat is inferior in taste to the meat of other representatives of this species of birds - it strongly gives off fish or has a fatty taste. But if you already managed to get it, then you can use both down and feather. There are regions where it is mined in large quantities. In hunting, stuffed animals and special whistles are most often used, with which they imitate the cry of a duck.
Nesting
Crested Duck always creates a strong pair, in which ducks remain faithful to each other throughout their lives. In order to “get acquainted” with the lady of his heart, the male performs a mating dance, during which he flaps his wings and throws back his head. Crested Duck nests near water. For this, islands or floating heaps of reeds or branches are suitable for ducks, sometimes they also settle in hollows of trees. The crested duck, the photo of which is presented in this article, uses dry grass or fresh stems and leaves to build a nest. The place for the house may be damp. In this case, the duck's nest will resemble a bowl with sides 9-10 centimeters high. If the place is dry, then the bird digs a hole to hide the masonry, and covers it from above with fluff. In this nest, the offspring of a happy couple appears. Eggs of crested duck are olive-colored, about 5 cm in diameter, in one clutch they are from 9 to 13 pieces.
Nimble kids
The female takes care of future and already hatched chicks. The male does not help her take care of the offspring. Hatching lasts 25-26 days. Ducklings, like other representatives of this species of birds, are initially covered with down. But they do not have to stay in one place for a long time. Already a day after the birth, they, led by mother ducks, go down to the water and even try to dive. Usually crested duck starts nesting in May, and offspring appears in June-July. Babies, although they are a few days old, already know how to hide among water plants, coastal thickets and roots, and run away from danger. And besides, the mother protects them from a sudden attack, diverting the attention of the enemy to herself, rising into the air and quacking. The family will be together until the ducklings are covered in real feathers in August. Adults will molt at this time. They completely get rid of old feathers and acquire new ones. After that, the flock prepares for a long-distance flight, which lasts from September to November, depending on the nesting site.
Don't kill this small bird. Moreover, there is little good in such production. Small in weight and tasteless, the crested duck is more suitable for breeding in urban conditions to improve the aesthetic appearance of reservoirs, besides, it is not afraid of being next to a person.
