African Yellow-billed Duck

African Yellow-billed Duck (Anas undulata) is common in southern and eastern Africa. As its namesake implies, this species has a bright yellow bill that also displays an oval-shaped black spot on the top and tip of the bill. It’s among the 13 mallard-like duck species worldwide. Similar to American and African black ducks, mottled ducks, and mallard hens, the African Yellow-billed Duck displays a gray-brown body with their iridescent green speculum. Females can display a duller green or blue speculum and are only slightly smaller and duller than the males. If the males and females cannot be distinguished by physical attributes, a teal-like vocalization is made by the males while the females sound more like a mallard’s quack. Juveniles can easily be identified from males by their duller plumage. The African Yellow-billed Duck has a light brown belly, a dark brown head, and brown eyes that seem to disappear on their elongated face. From a distance, this species’ body and secondary covert plumage appears spotted or dappled because of the scalloping of light brown edges on the predominately dark brown feathers.