We've seen them, we can see them, ducks love Lake Geneva: in all seasons, they take turns strutting their stuff on the lake. In winter, they are more numerous.
𝗖𝗔𝗡𝗔𝗥𝗗𝗦 𝗻.𝗺. - 𝗨𝗻 𝗼𝗶𝘀𝗲𝗮𝘂 𝗮𝗾𝘂𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗾𝘂𝗲 𝗻'𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗽𝗮𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗰𝗲́𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘂𝗻 𝗰𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗿𝗱! This generic term designates species of the order Anseriformes, most of which belong to the Anatidae family. Beware! some species do not have the term duck in their vernacular name, even though they are indeed ducks! This is the case of the scaup and the goosander, for example.
𝗛𝗜𝗩𝗘𝗥𝗡𝗔𝗡𝗧𝗦 𝗮𝗱𝗷. 𝗲𝘁 𝗻. - 𝗢𝗻 𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗲 𝗹𝗲 𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗲 𝗽𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗱𝗲́𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗲𝗿 𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝗰𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗿𝗱𝘀 𝗾𝘂𝗶 𝗽𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗹'𝗵𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗰𝗵𝗲𝘇 𝗻𝗼𝘂𝘀. For some species, such as the Mallard, breeding populations are joined in winter by migrants from northern Europe. Other species, such as the Tufted Duck and the Red-crested Pochard, are migratory and come to spend the winter on Lake Geneva. In recent years, some individuals of these two species have stayed here to breed. Some species are exclusively migratory. They can therefore only be observed in winter. These include the Gadwall and the rare Northern Duck, which can currently be seen in Ouchy.
B. 𝗟𝗲 𝗙𝘂𝗹𝗶𝗴𝘂𝗹𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗼𝗻C is certainly the most abundant duck in winter, with up to 200,000 individuals, attracted for several years by the arrival of the Zebra Mussel in our lake. These very elegant white-sided black diving ducks rest in groups. They are often seen resting with their beaks under their wings, their eyes on the lookout, swaying to the rhythm of the waves, as they are active at night. Note the little tuft at the back of their head that can be seen flying in the wind, a characteristic of this bird.
C. 𝗟𝗮 𝗡𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲 𝗿𝗼𝘂𝘀𝘀𝗲Autre A winter visitor, the Red-crested Pochard is often seen in harbours, among the scaups, diving in search of food. The male can be recognised by its bright red bill, which it uses to graze on aquatic plants such as characeae, as well as its very conspicuous red head. The female is more discreet, sporting a pretty brown cap over her pale cheeks and dark grey beak with a red tip.
D. 𝗟𝗲 𝗖𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗽𝗲𝗮𝘂Ce duck, which is easy to spot in winter, appears to have simple grey plumage. But look closely and you'll see all sorts of pretty and varied patterns running down its body, little lines on its flanks, long brown feathers on its back and a black rump. A white mirror hidden under the wings rounds off the picture, making this seemingly basic little duck exciting to watch.
A. 𝗘𝘁 𝗹𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝗹𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘁, 𝗱𝗮𝗻𝘀 𝘁𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗰̧𝗮? We are used to observing it in winter and summer, both in the water and on the banks, where it waddles in search of food. This is the duck par excellence. It's so common that we forget to admire it: what about its beautiful blue mirror, which is revealed when it opens its wings? What about those little black feathers on its rump, curled like a corkscrew, which appear on males in mating plumage? And that all-green head that glistens in the sun? In the end, it's worth the diversions too, isn't it?
𝗗'𝗮𝘂𝘁𝗿𝗲𝘀 𝗰𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗿𝗱𝘀 𝗵𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝘀𝗼𝗻𝘁 𝗮̀ 𝗱𝗲́𝗰𝗼𝘂𝘃𝗿𝗶𝗿 𝘀𝘂𝗿 𝗹𝗲 𝗟𝗲́𝗺𝗮𝗻 such as Goosander, Common Goldeneye and Green-winged Teal. 𝗦𝗮𝗻𝘀 𝗼𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗿 𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝘂𝘁𝗿𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗶𝘀𝗲𝗮𝘂𝘅 𝗱'𝗲𝗮𝘂 𝗵𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝗻𝘁𝘀: Great Cormorants, Great Crested Grebes, Grey Herons, Common Coots and Black-headed Gulls.
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Photo Credit: Kai Taimsalu, ASL, Laurent Vallotton, free
