25. June 2012
The Comb Duck, previously thought to be extinct within Sri Lanka, was spotted this week by one of the Leopard Safaris staff! This exciting and rare sighting shows that this unique-looking duck is still living and breeding on the island, which is a great discovery!
The Comb Duck is a large pan-tropical duck characterized by its goose-like appearance and an unusual knob on the male’s bill. This knob stays small for most of the year but enlarges during breeding season, when the male Comb Ducks perch in trees and wait for the opportunity to mate. Comb Ducks are usually found in wetland areas and they tend to feed on vegetation and seeds, but will occasionally eat small fish or invertebrates.
The Sri Lankan Comb Duck is one of two subspecies of Comb Duck, also known as the Old World Comb Duck. This subspecies can also be found in sub-Saharan Africa, and other parts of South Asia.
Where spotted: Yala National Park