White-Winged Wood Duck

White-Winged Duck Latest News

A pair of rare endangered white-winged ducks (Deo Hanh), which is the state bird of Assam, was spotted in Dihing Patkai National Park by conservationists and forest officials recently.

About White-Winged Duck

• The White-Winged Duck, also known as the White-Winged Wood Duck, is a large, rare, and endangered species of duck found in freshwater wetlands and dense tropical forests of South and Southeast Asia. 
• Scientific Name: Asarcornis scutulata
• In Assamese, it is known as ‘Deo Hans’ or spirit duck because of its ghostly call.
• It is considered one of the most threatened waterfowl species in the world.
• White-Winged Duck Conservation Status: White-Winged Duck is classified as ‘Critically Endangered’ under the IUCN Red List.

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White-Winged Duck Distribution

• Prefers dense tropical and subtropical forests with slow-moving rivers, swamps, and wetlands.
• Found in India (Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur), Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Indonesia (Sumatra), and Malaysia.
• In India, it is mostly found in the Dibru-Saikhowa National Park, Kaziranga National Park, and the wetlands of Arunachal Pradesh and Assam.

White-Winged Duck Features

• It has a black body, a white head that is thickly spotted with black, conspicuous white patches on the wings, and red or orange eyes.
• Its average length is about 81 cm.
• The sexes are more or less alike, the male having more gloss on the plumage, and being much larger and heavier.
• It is a crepuscular bird, as it is most active at dusk and dawn. The adults are largely omnivorous. 

White-Winged Duck FAQs

Q1. What are the characteristics of a white-winged duck?

Ans. It has a black body, a white head that is thickly spotted with black, conspicuous white patches on the wings, and red or orange eyes.

Q2. In which national park white winged duck is found?

Ans. The White-Winged Duck (Asarcornis scutulata) is found in several protected areas, with one of the most notable locations being the Kaziranga National Park in Assam, India. 

Q3. What is the IUCN status of the white-winged duck?

Ans. Critically Endangered

Source: TOI