An Indian spot-billed duck (Anas poecilorhyncha) with pale plumage was sighted at Manickapuram tank in Tiruppur district recently.
Birders who observed the duck said the individual got the pale feathers due to leucism, a condition that prevents melanin and other pigments from being deposited in its feathers.
S. Nandagopal, a member of the Nature Society of Tirupur (NST), spotted the rare leucistic duck when he went to Manickapuram tank near Mudalipalayam SIDCO for birding on September 16.
“I spotted a white bird along with a group of seven or eight spot-billed ducks. My initial guess was that it could be a gull. I took time to get closer to the birds and had a close look at the odd one using binoculars. Seeing that the white bird had the beak of a duck, I suspected that it could be a leucistic individual. I left after clicking some photos,” he said.
Mr. Nandagopal showed the photos to senior members of NST. Experienced birders including Ganeshwar S.V. of Salem Ornithological Foundation confirmed that it was a leucistic spot-billed duck. In normal conditions, Indian spot-billed duck has a greyish-brown plumage with a yellow tipped black bill and a red spot at the base of the bill. In flight, its wings display a green panel with white border.
“I had been going birding for the past 15 years and never came across a leucistic bird as it is a rare condition. I went to the tank on September 18 and photographed the same pale spot-billed duck,” said NST president Ravindran Kamatchi.
He added that Manickapuram tank, which has a canal linked to River Noyyal, is home to a large variety of birds including the Indian spot-billed duck and waders.
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